Design Review Board

Meetings:

  • The second Thursday of every month
  • 2026 meeting schedule (please note start time of 4 PM)
  • The Design Review Overlay District includes properties subject to the board's review. The Design Review Overlay District map is linked here.
  • New applications are due two weeks prior to the meeting date
  • Meetings are held at 93 Cottage St., Bar Harbor, ME 04609
  • Meetings may have a Zoom participation option. If a meeting is held in a hybrid format, it will be posted on this webpage by at least the Monday before the meeting.
  • Any member of the public can watch the meetings on Town Hill Streams

Agendas & Minutes

Agendas are available prior to the meetings. Minutes are available following approval.

View All Agendas and Minutes


Next meeting:

Thursday, April 9, 2026, at 4:00 PM - Design Review Board Meeting

This meeting will be held in-person in the Town Council Chambers of the Municipal Building, located at 93 Cottage Street, Bar Harbor. 

To view the topics that will be covered in this meeting, please refer to the agenda and packet.


Contact the Design Review Board:

Email the entire Design Review Board at designreview@barharbormaine.gov

Please note: Sending an email to this address will go to all members of the Design Review Board listed below, as well as town staff members in the Planning and Code Enforcement office: Planning Director Michele Gagnon, Code Enforcement Officer Mike Gurtler, Deputy Code Enforcement Officer Tammy DesJardin, Housing and Community Planner Cali Martinez, Sustainable Economic Development Coordinator Emily Sprecher, and Staff Planner Hailey Bondy.

If the message relates to a particular application before the Design Review Board, that email will also be provided to the applicant. Any message sent to this email address is also considered a public record and may be subject to a request under the Maine Freedom of Access Act. Information that you wish to keep confidential should not be included in email correspondence to this address.

Contact information for individual Design Review Board members is not provided, as anything sent to individual member(s) of the board and not all parties involved in the review of a particular application would constitute ex parte communication.

Members

Erin Cough, Chair
Term expires 2026
 Barbara Sassaman, Vice Chair
Term expires 2026
 Vacant
Term expires 2028
 Gary "Bo" Jennings
Term expires 2027
Francis "Pancho" Cole
Term expires 2027
 Andrea Lepcio, Secretary
Term expires 2026
 Vacant
Term expires 2028
  

Certificate of Appropriateness:

In order to ensure the aesthetic quality of Bar Harbor is preserved, the town requires a certificate of appropriateness from the Design Review Board before many changes to the exterior of buildings can be made. Examples of construction or renovation projects that require a certificate of appropriateness include:

  • Demolition or relocation of a historic building
  • Changes to the exterior appearance of an historic or non-historic building including:
    • Windows and doors
    • Benjamin Moore Williamsburg exterior paint colors OR Color Preview colors - if colors are chosen from the approved design review board list of colors, available in the Planning Office, then a Design Review Board Certificate of Appropriateness is not required
    • Siding and roofing
    • Awnings
  • Landscape lighting
  • Construction of a new commercial building or an addition to an existing commercial building
  • Installation or changes in fences or freestanding walls
  • Installation or changes in internally illuminated signage
  • Installation or changes in outdoor storage or display including vending machines
  • Plans for seasonal closure

Application for Certificate of Appropriateness:

PDF Application Form

Please fill out the application and include any requested materials if submitting in-person.

Instructions on Applying In Person

Please submit your application either in person at the Planning and Code office at 93 Cottage Street in the Municipal Building or you can email your application to Emily Sprecher (Sustainable Economic Development Coordinator) or Tammy Desjardin (Deputy Code Enforcement Officer). 

Please submit your application fee in person when submitting your application, or mail a check to the Planning and Code office at 93 Cottage Street, Bar Harbor, ME, 04609 written out to the "Town of Bar Harbor". If you have any questions about the application process, you can email Emily Sprecher (Sustainable Economic Development Coordinator) or Tammy Desjardin (Deputy Code Enforcement Officer). 

Letter of Authorization:
If the applicant is not the property owner, a signed Letter of Authorization is required at the time of submission. This letter must grant the applicant permission to act on the owner’s behalf and must be included with all application materials.

PDF Version- Design Review Board Application with Finding of Fact Sheet

NEW! ONLINE aPPLICATIONS aVAILABLE

 Application Portal

If you are applying online, the Planning Department will email you an invoice to pay the application fee. There is a small surcharge to pay via online invoice.

If you prefer to pay the application fee in person or by mailing a check, please email Emily Sprecher (Sustainable Economic Development Coordinator) or Tammy Desjardin (Deputy Code Enforcement Officer) after submitting your application to let the Planning Office know your preferred payment method.

Design Rules:

Remote Participation:

The Design Review Board has adopted a policy allowing for remote participation, as allowed under state law. A copy of that policy is available here.