AUBURN — City officials will consider another slate of changes to Lake Auburn watershed rules this month, this time focused on limiting the impacts from farming and other related uses on water quality.

The City Council is set to vote on the new ordinance amendments later this month, which city staff described as an attempt to further protect water quality for Lake Auburn while still allowing landowners in the area to engage in agricultural or forestry uses.

According to a presentation from city planning staff Monday, the changes will continue to allow farming in the watershed, but with defined safeguards, including waste and nutrient management plans with required buffers to wetlands.

The language would require existing farms to obtain waste or nutrient management plans by June 30, 2027; prohibit manure spreading and require storage to prohibit manure from entering groundwater; adds guidelines for fertilizer and pesticide use and applications; and puts limits on clearcutting.

John Blais, deputy director of planning and code enforcement, said the changes stem from a series of meetings held this year with a large group of stakeholders, including members of the natural resources board, the Lake Auburn Watershed Protection Commission, the Planning Board and the public.

The proposal comes after the city already put in place considerable changes in 2023, including an updated septic design standard, phosphorus controls and other language that officials argued would protect the lake and limit potential development. Much of the debate over the issue during the last several years has centered on Auburn’s waiver from filtration, which allows the water district to deliver water to customers without a costly filtration system. But, in order to maintain the waiver, water quality must remain pristine and experts say climate change, erosion, nutrient loading and other issues are making that more difficult.

However, the portion of the watershed overlay zone that is also in the agricultural zone is already the city’s most restrictive zoning.

Blais said the changes balance protection and good land use while “allowing people to use the land as it was intended.” The new buffers require a 250-foot setback to lakes, ponds, streams, brooks and wetlands.

Eric Cousens, director of planning and code enforcement, told officials that taken together, they’d be “hard pressed to find a set of standards that is this comprehensive and stringent,” and that Auburn’s language will likely be used as an example in other communities.

When asked how it could impact existing farmers or landowners who are using their land for these purposes, staff said there will be flexibility as long as property owners are working with the city to draft management plans. Blais said items like cement pads to store manure are eligible for funding to be 100% covered.

Councilor Ben Weisner said he was concerned how the ordinance could affect farmers, especially as many farmers are currently struggling.

Staff said there are only a small handful of existing farms in the portion of the watershed in the agricultural zone but that staff has had conversations with the owners of a dairy farm and horse farm, among others, who attended a public meeting.

Cousens said those impacted will also be sent notices for the upcoming public hearings on the proposal.

When questions about development and new roads were brought up, staff said the earlier changes ushered in by the council were more focused on limiting housing. Mayor Jeff Harmon said the previous changes already placed a limit of three new building permits per year, and that the zone is exempt from the recent LD 2003 law regarding housing production in Maine.

Blais said the “biggest takeaway” for residents is that “we’re getting really clear language for best practices” for agricultural uses.