A zoning change that would require big-box retailers to build “green” if they locate along a certain section of Route 1 has gone back to the drawing board after Hannaford supermarkets and the Scarborough Chamber of Commerce objected.

Requiring buildings to meet U.S. Green Building Council design standards “would result in an unfair and undue burden on Hannaford and other land owners in the new zone,” said Tyler Sterling, a Hannaford real estate development associate, in a letter to the town Ordinance Committee.

The chamber also raised concerns that “this kind of restrictive zoning” would discourage economic development.

Town Manager Ron Owens said the Town Council will likely amend the ordinance at its April 16 meeting to remove the “green” building requirement, at least temporarily.

Town Planner Dan Bacon said there seems to be some confusion among the businesses about the ordinance, which would require that only buildings larger than 30,000 square feet be “green.”

“It’s not a requirement of all new development. It’s a requirement of development that’s particularly large,” he said.

The 1-1/3 mile zone affected by the ordinance runs from the Scarborough Marsh to Sawyer Road, and is currently zoned general business. Bacon said the intent of the ordinance is to encourage the sort of businesses, such as banks and office buildings, that are already there.

Hannaford objects, however, largely because it owns the Orion Center and, according to its letter, has plans to substantially renovate it. Hannaford has transferred the permits obtained by the former owner to its name, but would likely have to reapply to the town before construction begins because they expire in August.

Meeting green building standards would be “more expensive, complicated and perhaps impossible,” Sterling said in his letter.

Hannaford has designed and is about to build a supermarket in Augusta that meets U.S. Green Building Council standards, he said, but found it extremely expensive.

“Hannaford has the ability to subsidize (the building) as an experiment,” he wrote. “Our Augusta project would not otherwise be economically feasible – not by a long shot.”

Kevin Freeman, chairman of the chamber’s Community Affairs and Economic Development Committee, said in his letter that the chamber is concerned that green standards haven’t been specifically defined yet, and that the ordinance could be bad for business. He suggested that the town should offer incentives such as tax breaks to help offset the additional cost of building environmentally friendly buildings.

The zoning changes were developed in accordance with the town’s comprehensive plan, which was last updated in 2006.

Town officials are trying to encourage businesses that serve local needs – such as drug stores and small retailers – along Route 1, while stores that serve a larger region, such as Wal-Mart, Target or Lowe’s, are built closer to the Maine Mall.

Under the proposed ordinance, big retailers and residential developers wishing to do a project along that section of Route 1 would have had to meet nationally recognized standards for “green” buildings, most likely Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certification.

The certification means a building meets standards created by the U.S. Green Building Council for a structure that is “environmentally friendly, profitable and a healthy place to live and work.” The buildings generally have thicker insulation, use less energy and incorporate alternative energy sources, such as solar panels.