Douglas Zoning Board Defers North Village Bond Decision, Flags Plan Discrepancies

DOUGLAS — November 5, 2025 — Douglas Zoning Board of Appeals deferred action on bonding for phase four of the North Village 40B subdivision after questioning a $298,038 cost-of-completion estimate from consulting engineer Haley and Ward. Chair Mike Fitzpatrick said the figures appeared "a little light" against state prevailing wage rates and directed Haley and Ward to submit a full schedule of values before the board recommends a bond amount to the town administrator. The board also learned that two conflicting plan sets exist for the project's street lighting fixtures — one the developer has been working from for years and a 2010-revision plan stamped into the Douglas community development room — and said it expects to resolve the dispute at the December meeting after nearly five months of unresolved discussion; unit owner James, attending remotely, called the situation "really a safety issue for the community." Separately, the board agreed to invite the Conservation Commission chair to a future meeting to address conflicting permitting-sequence requirements that have forced applicants to navigate competing demands from two boards.