ROCKLAND — “In doing this, are we now saying ‘oh you are right,’” said Rockland City Councilor Valli Geiger.

On Monday, March 9, councilors voted to adopt a current City map as the Official Zoning Map for the municipality, while also voting to amend ordinance language to clarify that the official record of zone boundaries are as the zones appear on that zoning map. 

According to Geiger, outside parties have recently noted that a zoning map previously hanging at City Hall was not up to date. The outside parties therefore contended that certain ordinances shouldn’t count. One of those arguments was raised by Jonathan Springer, attorney for Bay Communications, which was denied a Planning Board application for a telecommunications tower on Camden Street. 

The Planning Board maintained that they could not be expected to overlook the standards of an application due to an oversight beyond its control. Geiger stated a similar belief.

“I’m happy to update the map, but I’m uncomfortable establishing a precedence should someone drop a ball in the back office after the City Council has deliberated, the attorney has checked, we’ve voted on the change, the change is made, but fails to get on the map,” said Geiger. 

But would officially adopting a map promote an admission of wrong-doing?

Yes and no, according to Rockland City Clerk Stuart Sylvester.

An official zoning map must also come with a special file to include the actual definition of the zone boundaries, said Sylvester.

“That file does not exist,” he said. “And, as far as I can tell, hasn’t existed since – at the very least – 1983, if not 1945.”

With an up-to-date map, the City can now use it as a reference that is based on the actual zoning boundaries as a starting point. In the future, officials can then match up the zoning amendments to the map.

“It doesn’t have anything to do with anybody from outside saying anything about anything, as far as I’m concerned,” he said. “The entire impetus is in that special file that I talked about doesn’t exist.” 

Reach Sarah Thompson at news@penbaypilot.com