We have all lost sight of the facts about the proposed Article 2 on Camden's upcoming ballot. This item is not a small change. As with any new change to Camden's zoning, this article will affect the town through the future. It is not beneficial to the entire town, as has been argued. This will allow three additional inns to serve meals to their guests, but it has far reaching consequences.

The Bifulcos, who have proposed this change, would have everyone believe that this means just a few dinners would be served to a few guests. This is not necessarily the case. If the Windward house starts serving to their guests, Abigail's and Hawthorne could easily follow. Next, the other inns in town that already have legitimate zoning to serve meals would feel forced to serve meals to remain competitive.

There are 109 rooms available in just the inns that are a part of the Camden Bed and Breakfast Association and many more in other inns in town. That is a potential 218 meals that could be taken away from our restaurants, and that is if there are only two guests in each room.

Serving meals would most likely occur in the off season as that is when the inns need the extra income most. It is also the time our restaurants are struggling most to remain viable. We don't want to lose any of the unique food options available at our local restaurants. The article will not go away if the Windward gets sold eventually, there will be new owners and there is potential for even greater changes.

The contentions over this article should be fact based and viewed with a mind toward what is best for Camden. However, the Bifulcos have made the issue very personal. There have been innumerable articles and letters about why they want this proposed change. It is touted as a small change that will benefit the whole town. Obviously this is not true, it stands to benefit only three inns. Their marketability will be increased, the marketability of other inns will decrease. 

Ms. Bifulco has stated many times that she will be bringing in a niche group of vegans and guests with other dietary issues to Camden. This is untrue. In any given week we at the Captain Swift Inn prepare breakfast for many guests with dietary concerns. Every evening we recommend local restaurants to these guests, confident that our fine restaurants can meet their dietary needs.

Ms. Bifulco has raised the point frequently that they need this additional income from serving dinners to their guests to help support their small family. However, the town should not change its zoning regulations to help her support her family.

My wife, Linda, and I have raised our son, Alex, in the same situation. It has not always been easy, but we have managed it and still stayed within the existing regulations. Yes, we are in a zone that allows us to serve meal other than breakfast, we don't.

The point is that when we came to Camden to open a B&B we looked at inns in the historic district, but knew we would want to expand and it was made clear to us that we would not be able to expand in the historic district due to zoning regulations. The Bifulcos would have also been aware of this when they bought Windward. The town should not now need to change the zoning because they chose to buy in an area where they knew they could not expand. There are others in town who have managed to raise their families in town and do so within the existing regulations. 

I would ask everyone to vote no on article 2. It does not benefit the town. It benefits only the few and is detrimental to the many.

Norm Henthorn lives in Camden