West Bath residents voted Wednesday to change the town’s land use rules to allow things like restaurants with live music, a brewery, flea markets and sports facilities in an undeveloped section of town.

About 15 residents attended the special town meeting Thursday when the vote took place.

The change only applies to a roughly 90-acre section of town called the Urban Development Park, which includes Wing Farm Park and sits north of Route 1 near Morse High School. That portion of town was first set aside for industrial use, according to West Bath Planning Board Chair Darlene Estabrook, but never developed.

The changes stem from Derek Dudzic, who owns a 26-acre section of Wing Farm Park, approaching the planning board with ideas to develop the now unused area, said West Bath Town Clerk Karly Perry.

“He had come to the planning board previously to talk about opening a brewery and potentially having a restaurant out there, but currently, restaurants aren’t allowed,” Perry told The Times Record this week. “West Bath is always looking to bring revenue in and have new businesses in town.”

Dudzic did not return requests for comment Friday regarding his plans for the property.

In a Dec. 14, 2021 planning board meeting, Dudzic said he’s interested in adding a brewery that offers live entertainment in the area. Estabrook stressed, however, that allowing live entertainment on the property does not mean a concert stadium or theater will be built in the area.

Other minor changes to town rules proposed in the meeting are “left over from previous town meetings that weren’t able to be put on a warrant, and some are editorial-based on requests from the planning board,” said Perry.

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