CAMDEN — The Camden Planning Board will consider a zoning amendment to accommodate increasing the number of beds at the Fox Hill rehabilitation facility on Bay View Street from eight to 12, and will begin its site plan review of the new Camden-Rockport Middle School when it meets Jan. 11 for a regularly scheduled meeting. (Previously, the meeting had been scheduled for Jan. 11 but was postponed due to a blizzard.)

Fox Hill Real Estate has submitted the request to increase patient capacity on behalf of McLean Hospital at the Bay View street facility. The Planning Board and Town Attorney Bill Kelly have been discussing the proposed amendment language with Fox Hill’s attorney, Paul Gibbons.

The draft ordinance change allows permitted use of private residential treatment facilities in the zoning district, but they are limited to a maximum of 12 bedrooms that must be in existing buildings on site.

McLean Borden Cottage is a high-end residential alcohol and substance abuse treatment facility that has been operating since 2014.

The next step for the Fox Hill proposal is a public information gathering session, on Jan. 11, to be followed by a public hearing on Jan. 18.

At the Jan. 11 meeting, the board will also begin reviewing the Camden-Rockport Middle School site plan application.

Engineering, site redevelopment and architectural plans were submitted by Oak Point Associates, of Biddeford, to the Camden Town Office on Dec. 21. See attached PDF for the architectural plans.

The $26 million school is to sit on a 15.25-acre parcel on Knowlton Street and replace the existing middle school complex, which will be demolished.

Camden and Rockport voters approved construction of the new middle school at the June 2017 town meeting polls.

In addition to obtaining site plan review approval from the town of Camden, SAD 28 will also need Maine Department of Environmental Protection stormwater and natural resource protection permits.

In other Camden Planning Board business:

• A discussion about the definitions and zoning amendment concerning food trucks operating in Camden.

• Discussion concerning signage, and an amendment to exempt signage for Select Board approved events from CEO permitting and move authority for approval to the Select Board.