STRONG — Voters will be asked to approve an annual municipal operating budget that reflects less than a one percent increase over 2012’s request.

Last year’s final appropriation was $585,259, according to Selectman Milt Baston. If voters approve the selectmen’s and Budget Committee’s recommendations, the 2013 total will be $590,856.

Several warrant articles propose using tax dollars for equipment purchases. The $8,000 request for a snowplow will come from the Special Equipment Fund, which is a designated account, while other requests must be approved as additions to the proposed budget.

Selectmen and the Budget Committee may choose to make no recommendations for those requests and let voters approve raising any extra funds.

Selectmen will request approval to take $250,000 from surplus funds to reduce the tax commitment, according to Baston. Although revenues will be cut at the state level, Gov. Paul LePage’s budget won’t be approved by the Legislature until late spring. The town may receive some or none of its $86,000 of revenue-sharing dollars from state sales taxes.

Also, as of Jan. 1, the town was owed nearly $200,000 in delinquent real estate and personal property taxes.

The Planning Board will present revisions to the 1993 Site Plan Review Ordinance for voters’ approval. Revisions apply only to nonresidential development, according to Planning Board Chairman Jeff Murphy. Amendments address commercial wind towers and other large industrial facilities.

“Public safety is our main concern, especially regarding both traffic safety and fire protection,” Murphy said.

The document includes updated standards for major development setbacks. As defined in Strong’s ordinance, Murphy said, a setback is the distance measured from the property boundary or public right-of-way line to any structure on the site. The review includes large wind farms without a separate cumbersome ordinance and addresses other types of large industrial sites.

“Setbacks are very important, because they protect adjacent properties from fire and other hazards,” Murphy said. “Only the major development category, which involves three or more acres of unrevegetated area on the site, will be required to meet these setback standards.”

Fire Department personnel and equipment need adequate access to prevent fire from spreading to other properties. Murphy said another safety concern is having a wind tower break apart, propelling blades or other parts extreme distances. The board has held three public hearings to get public input.

“Several attendees suggested setbacks were too far and that the list of types of facilities was confusing,” he said. “We simplified the language, and we reduced all but one setback.”

The board also hired attorney James Katsiaficas, former legal counsel for the Maine Municipal Association, to review the document. Katsiaficas practices environmental, land use, municipal, administrative and real estate law.

“He returned our document with very thorough comments and suggestions,” Murphy said. “Compared to most towns in Maine, Mr. Katsiaficas considered our proposed ordinance actually minimal in regulation.”

The ordinance includes provisions recommended by the state’s model for small communities. Revisions also remove wording that could pose legal challenges to the town and clarify the process for the applicant and abutters to appeal the Planning Board’s decision. With the exception of a 2,000-foot setback for wind towers, all other energy-generating facilities, such as biomass or natural gas plants, would have a 1,000-foot setback. Large industrial facilities will have a 1,000-foot setback, and processing and commercial facilities will have a 100-foot setback.

“We’re charged with providing clear definitions for applicants, abutters and the town, and I think we accomplished that goal,” Murphy said.

Polls will be open from 1 to 6 p.m. Friday, March 1, at the Forster Memorial Building.

Incumbent Selectmen Rupert Pratt and Baston are being challenged by Mike Pond for two open seats.

Fire Chief Duayne Boyd is running unchallenged for re-election.

Three candidates have volunteered to serve on the Budget Committee. Langdon Adams and Loretta Deming and incumbent Susan Pratt are on the ballot for those vacant seats.

The town meeting resumes at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, March 2.