Freedom—March 15, 2019—Effingham residents on Tuesday overwhelmingly rejected a proposal to eliminate the town’s zoning ordinance, which has been in place since 2000. 

The proposal, which was opposed by the town’s planning board, was sponsored by 37 residents who said regulations were not being enforced uniformly and were inconsistent with the state’s “live free or die culture.”

The vote was 89 in favor of eliminating zoning and 229 in favor of retaining it.

In Freedom, changes to the zoning ordinance recommended by the planning board received strong support. The changes included an amendment permitting solar energy systems “in all districts” subject to restrictions on location, buffers and lighting “to reflect the wishes of the community to retain Freedom’s rural character.”

The vote affirming the change was 158 to 33. 

In Ossipee, Sue Simpson defeated Robert Freeman and Roy Barron to become the town’s newest member of the select board. Ernest Day and Chuck Fuller were elected to the Freedom and Effingham select boards, respectively.