Falmouth residents have narrowly rejected an effort to repeal the town’s new pesticide and fertilizer ordinance, with about 55 percent of those who turned out to the polls voting against the measure.
Approved Tuesday by a wider 61 percent margin was the proposed $13.7 million bond to expand the town’s public works facilities.
[RELATED: What Falmouth Residents Are Voting On This Fall]
The first of these two questions stemmed from a new set of local regulations that went into effect earlier this year restricting the use of pesticides and fertilizer throughout the town.
Under this ordinance, no type of pesticide may be used within 75 feet of a body of water or within 20 feet of a storm drain.
All neonicotinoids — a class of neuro-active insecticides whose chemical makeup resembles that of nicotine — are barred from use anywhere in the town by the ordinance.
Those caring for outdoor spaces are currently limited to using non-synthetic pesticides that have not been prohibited by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), as well as synthetic pesticides that have specifically been allowed by the federal authorities.
There are handful of exemptions to these rules — aside from the ban on neonicotinoids — such as for commercial agriculture, rodent control, and tick and mosquito control.
Certain types of facilities, including some athletic fields and golf courses, are also exempt from these regulations.
Fertilizers are also restricted under this ordinance, as both synthetic and non-synthetic fertilizers are prohibited from being applied near bodies of water and storm drains.
Only water-soluble fertilizer may be used on property located between 75 feet and 250 feet of a body of water.
The ordinance provides specific guidelines for the application of fertilizers containing nitrogen and phosphorus.
Fertilizers may not be applied outdoors from December 1 through March 31.
Click Here for More Information on Falmouth’s Ordinance
Question 2 on the ballot in Falmouth asked residents if they would like to approve a nearly $14 million bond to cover the cost of upgrading and expanding the town’s public works facility.
The funds will be spend to build a new garage for the Parks and Community Programs department, upgrades to the central fire station and the public works building.
Assuming a thirty-year term for the bond with a 3.75 percent interest rate, the total cost of the bond is estimated to be just over $22 million.
It was indicated on the ballot itself that the Falmouth Town Council had recommended the bond’s approval.
Contemporaneous reporting from the Portland Press Herald indicated that the Town Council had unanimously expressed support for the bond.
Under the town charter, any bond valued over $2 million must be approved by residents at the ballot box before it can proceed.
Reporting suggests that after three years, property tax payers can expect to see a bump in their annual bill to support the funding of this project. More specifically, it has been estimated that taxes on a home valued at $850,000 will see a $161.50 hike three years into the bond’s life.
