Torbert Macdonald

I will continue to foster:

• Transparency and accountability in local government;
• A multi-generational recreational complex in the Green Zone;
• The Green transformation of our Tourist economy;
• On-going protection and preservation of our unique natural areas.

For over 30 years, Torbert Macdonald Jr. has served the Town of York in a wide variety of positions – Conservation Commission, Comprehensive Plan Committee, Planning Board, Board of Selectmen and Charter Commission. Macdonald has made significant contributions to the quality of Town life. In 2017, York needs Macdonald’s responsible stewardship.

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Community Service

• 1980's
• 1990's
• 2000's

• Conservation Commission 6-8 years; Chairman several years

• Planning Board Subcommittee on the original Comprehensive Plan

• Co-founder, Agamenticus Wilderness Reserve under Land for Maine’s Future Program

• Co-founder York Land Trust

• Continuous conservation oversight of runaway development in York

• Planning Board 2000-2003

• Board of Selectman 2003, 2006 (stepped down in 2007 due to Lyme Disease)

• Planning Board 2009-2013

• Charter Commission 2010 (elected position)

• Board of Selectman 2013-2016

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Brief Biography:

• Graduated from Harvard College with BA in American Government
• Married to Caroline Macdonald; three grown children, 2 grandchildren
• Resident of York for 35 years (family presence in York for over 100 years)
• Profession: Energy and Natural Resource Policy Consultant

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Accomplishments

Natural Resource Protection & Water Quality

• Co-founder, York Land Trust.
• Wrote and managed the Town’s application to the State’s Land for Maine’s Future Program that led to the successful creation of the Agamenticus Wilderness Reserve.
• Worked with the Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve to obtain a Federal Clean Water Act grant to survey the York River for non-point source pollution.
• Brought the first water quality monitoring program to York – “Partners in Monitoring” – setting up the laboratory at York High School.

Zoning & Land Trust Use

• Created an overlay zone for elderly housing so that the York Housing Authority could build affordable elderly housing in the Village.
• Created an overlay zone that freed York Hospital to intensely develop their campus. Wrote the first Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) ordinance allowing homeowners greater housing flexibility within their households.
• Created the Cultural Facility overlay ordinance which allows with rational standard land use flexibility for “cultural facilities” such as the artist colony created by the Estate of Maine writer May Sarton. Created the Farm Protection overlay district ordinance giving small farmers zoning protection for diverse economic activities while establishing rational farm practices to protect neighbors.

Comprehensive Planning

• Helped lead the fight to manage growth, working to develop strong but fair land use codes to control sprawl. (Chairman of the Conservation Commission)
• Advocated for cluster or conservation subdivisions as the key to a rational pattern of rural development. (Member of the first Comprehensive Plan Committee)
• Helped draft the revision to the Town Charter, the document mandated by State law that establishes principles and guidelines for home rule governance. Though not adopted by the citizens, this document is an important aspect of the public debate in York. (elected member of the Charter Commission)

Energy

• Worked to ensure the inclusion of solar energy as allowable in all zoning areas and design standards (Planning Board member and Selectman).
• Collaborated with the Energy Steering Committee to initiate the ballot choice in 2016 to swap out inefficient street lighting at no cost to taxpayers. (Selectman)
• Negotiated the agreement that mandated CMP to place high voltage electric cables under the Route 95 bridge over the York River thereby preserving the unobstructed view of the River. The extra $1M in engineering cost was assigned to the rate base of the entire State as a “public good”. (Selectman, designated as chief negotiator for the Town)