From Georges Bank to Penobscot Bay and the rivers and streams that flow into Maine's biggest bay
Today we're going back to the m,aine legislature to look at LD 2003 "An Act To Implement the Recommendations of the Commission To Increase Housing Opportunities in Maine by Studying Zoning and Land Use Restrictions"
Is this a fair housing bill or a fair sprawl bill? The antisprawl folks say one thing, pro-growthers another
2. Prohibits municipalities from adopting any ordinance that caps the number of building or development permits each year for any kind of residential dwellings. everybody can build accessory houses in designated grow areas...
Bill sponsor Legislkator Fecteau explains it "The bill would allow, in any zone in which housing is already permitted, for structures with up to four dwelling units to be built.
Let's take a visit to the legislative sausage factory and see how this bill LD 2003 goes through it.
ld 2003. Fair Housing bill or a Fair Sprawl bill?
The antisprawlers say one thing, growth advocates another.
On April 7, 2022 , the Labor and Housing Committee held a final worksession on LD 2003. They then voted Ought to Pass (as Amended)
During the session Speaker of the House Ryan Fecteau gave a lengthy presentation, punctuated for Q&As among the committee members whcih gradually added Q&AA great deal was a discussed over the past hour in its final work sesson which now continues
On April 7th Speaker of the House, Ryan Fecteau gave a lengthy presentation on LD 2003, with stops for committee questions and answers subtopic of the bill LD 2003.
Fecteau "The bill would allow, in any zone in which housing is already permitted, for structures with up to four
dwelling units to be built. It would also allow accessory dwelling units in all Maine towns. Under this bill,
towns and cities can still enact and enforce regulations to protect their water and sewer systems and their
setback requirements. They still must comply with state shoreland zoning laws protecting our precious
natural resources. Under this bill, towns and cities simply can’t prohibit accessory dwelling units simply
because they are accessory dwelling units, or multi-family housing just because it is multi-family housing.
LD 2003. Fair Housing bill or a Fair Sprawl bill? The antisprawlers say one thing, growth advocates another.
As I write 4:40pm April Seventh, the Labor and Housing Committee is reassembling from a break to finish discussion on LLD 2003.
Fecteau gave a lengthy presentation punctuated for Q&As among the committeementbes whcih gradually added Q&AA great deal was a discussed over the past hour in its final work sessino which now continues
Allow up to 4 homes on what is presently single family owned
2. . Prohibits municipalities from adopting any ordinance that caps the number of building or development permits each year for any kind of residential dwellings
Aquaculture Public Scoping Session - Maude Robin McCoy and James W. Balano, III
Date: April 21, 2022
Time: 7:00 pm
Location: Town Office, 3 School Street
Town: St. George
The Department of Marine Resources has received a draft aquaculture lease application for the following:
Applicant: Maude Robin McCoy & James W. Balano, III Culture Type: Suspended culture (gear on bottom and/or suspended) Species: Shellfish Town: St. George Waterbody, General Description: Northwest of Harrington Cove, Wheeler Bay Lease Size and Term: 1.98 acres, 20 years
If the scoping session listed above is cancelled, an alternate scoping session will be held on April 28, 2022, at the same time and location. Notice of a cancellation will be posted on the Department's website at https://www.maine.gov/dmr/index.html
What is a scoping session?
A scoping session is a meeting where the applicant explains their tentative proposal to members of the public. Its an opportunity for members of the public to provide feedback on the proposal, prior to the applicant submitting a final application and an eventual public hearing. This meeting does not determine whether the proposal will be granted.
On 3/21/22 Penobscot Bay Watch sent a FOAA letter to Maine DEP asking for "All emails and their attachments, sent or received by Jessica Damon of DEP's Eastern Maine Regional Office, directly or cc'd, pertaining to the Salmons Quarry Operations Project in Prospect, Maine, from March 7, 2022 through March 21, 2022"
On 3/29/22/ Kevin Martin, DEP FOAA coordinator, responded to the above request, and provided the below emails from February 20, 2022 to March 21,2022. Attachments provided at another link.
EMAILS (PDF)
2022-02-20 Todd_Hanson_oppo_to_Susanne_Miller DEP EMRO
March 29, 2022 DEP Responds to FOAA re Bowden Pt Mine Port
On 3/21/22 Penobscot Bay Watch sent a FOAA letter to Maine DEP asking for "All emails and their attachments, sent or received by Jessica Damon of DEP's Eastern Maine Regional Office, directly or cc'd, pertaining to the Salmons Quarry Operations Project in Prospect, Maine, from March 7, 2022 through March 21, 2022" . On 3/29/22/ Kevin Martin, DEP FOAA coordinator, responded with both emais and the below documents Includes the company's March 2022 version of NRPA application, federal and state agency responses and letters to tribes..
The Maine CommonsA Maine Independent Media Center Production. "Reclaiming our country, culture and consciousness from corporate rule" 2001-2004
The pdf files below are 16 editions of the Maine Media Commons, which focused on: "viewpoints and stories that have been ignored or distorted by the corporate media, and issues of effects of corporate control on the freedom of expression." (More editions as located)Editors/writers:Hillary Lister, Laura Childs, Carolyn Chute, Rob Fish, Rob Waite and many other contributors.
Listed headlines are randomly chosen from pg 1 stories of each edition
Board of Environmental Protection to hear appeal by area residents. BY STEPHEN BETTS REPORTER: COURIER-GAZETTE (BDN Story)
ROCKLAND — The Maine Board of Environmental Protection is expected to hear in June the appeal of Rockland area residents who oppose the expansion by Safe Harbor Marinas.
“Due to the board’s current work load, they are looking at sometime in June to hear the appeal. A specific date is to be determined,” a DEP spokesman said March 2.
The appeal was filed Jan. 7 by 16 area residents.
DEP Commissioner Melanie Loyzim signed in December an approval of a Natural Resources Protection Act permit for the expanded marina. The Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry’s submerged land division issued findings and gave preliminary approval for the expansion. Final approval of that awaited the end of the public response period on Jan. 7.
Filing the letter of appeal were: Steve Cartwright of Tenants Harbor, Nadine and Larry Bangerter of Rockland, Ken Wexler of Owls Head, Constance Hayes of Rockland, Rebecca Glaser of Rockport, Eileen Fitzgerald of Rockland, Kyle MacKenzie Swan of Rockland, Laurence Coe of Rockland, Ron Huber of Penobscot Bay Watch, Judy Pasqualge of Rockland, Virginia Noble of Rockland, Avis Turner of Rockland, Anne “Pinny” Beebe-Center of Rockland, Susan Beebe of Rockland, Isabella Feracci of Rockland, and Paul Rosen of Owls Head.
The appeal details each of the appellants concerns about the expansion. One concern listed is no approval should be granted until a signed agreement is reached to guarantee the public’s right to use the boardwalk that crosses Safe Harbor’s property.
Another concern was that the expansion would block the public’s view of the harbor with “large and mega yachts serving rich people.”
The project includes dredging an area of 138,000 square feet. The expansion of the float system includes four 150-foot long fingers to the east of the main pier; a 90-foot finger to the west; and a 115-foot long and a 172-foot string of floats to the west.
Safe Harbor agreed to pay for the cost of moving 16 moorings that have to be relocated by the proposed marina expansion. They will also help the city assign the moorings close to where they are currently located.
City officials said at their Nov. 1 meeting the city attorney and Safe Harbor have been working on coming up with an agreement to ensure public access to the boardwalk. The boardwalk was built by MBNA when they opened the waterfront office complex in 2001. Rockland Harbor Park LLC, led by local developer Stuart Smith, purchased the property in 2007.
Safe Harbor also agreed to allow limited access to the pier at the marina, improve public access to Sandy Beach and help with a public bathroom to replace the portable toilets at the city-owned beach.
The original, more expansive plan, was submitted back in 2018 by Yachting Solutions. Safe Harbors has yet to file any formal plans to the city for changes on the land side of its property, although it showed a few city officials a potential plan earlier this year.
