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Greenville Officials Get Plum Creek Plan Update

December 12, 2007 - GREENVILLE -- Development, recreation and conservation are the three issues that drove the latest revisions to the Plum Creek Concept Plan to rezone 420,000 acres of its holdings in the Moosehead region. That was the word of Plum Creek's Senior Land Analyst and Greenville native Luke Muzzy to the Board of Selectmen's meeting November 21. Muzzy was present at the board's request.

The development plan, the largest ever considered by the Land U.se Regulation Commission (LURC), has been controversial since its introduction in April 2005. Since that time the plan has undergone several revisions, the last submitted to LURC at the end of October.

Public hearings to speak to the plan have been scheduled in the first two weeks of December, with interested party and intervenor meetings stretching into the latter part of January. What people have to remember is that "we are proposing (a plan) for rezoning," Muzzy said.

"Once that rezoning is passed, we have to go back to the state for subdivision plans for every subdivision," he continued.

The specific tweaking in the recent revisions include strengthening of the language to protect wildlife habitat in the conservation casements, making the easements permanent with no chance for future development, guaranteeing more than 150 miles of permanent snowmobile and hiking routes, including a peak-to peak trail, granting permanent access to over 50 miles of spine roads to guarantee a permanent network of vehicular access through the plan area, and redefining the community fund as a stewardship fund, upping the ante to fund it with the dedication of 2 percent of each initial lot sale and .5 percent of any resale in perpetuity. The stewardship fund would be controlled by a committee formed of community members and would have broad application for recreational and infrastructure projects.

In fact, Plum Creek is prepared to fund the peak-topeak hiking trail when the plan is approved through a no-interest loan to be paid hack by that fund as its coffers fill. Muzzy said.

"Can this stewardship funds be used on non-Plum Creek lands," Town Manager John Simko asked.

"Absolutely. As long as the committee approves, that fund is unlimited that way, and hopefully it will be a means to leverage for bigger grants for big projects," Muzzy responded.

When the third revision was submitted in April, there were 32 different groups who were interested parties, 20 of them in favor, partially at least, seven against, and five neutral, according to Muzzy.

"We spent the summer with LURC ... and six weeks meeting with the state agencies," he said, adding that some of the agency comments had been "pretty critical." "Some were founded, some were just not understanding," Muzzy said, and over six weeks his company held meetings that led to the final changes.

And these are the final changes, Muzzy told the board. LURC may suggest a tweak, but no substantive alterations will be made, he said.

Over the last two years, the plan's major components have settled to roughly 400,000 acres to be placed in conservation, roughly two-thirds of that land through a partnership with The Nature Conservancy, the Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) and the Forest Society of Maine.

Of the 20,000 acres that would be rezoned for development, less than 11,000 acres are expected to have actual development. Muzzy said.

The proposed development includes 975 house lots, a Nordic ski resort on the north shoulders of Big Moose Mountain and a smaller nature-based tourism resort on Lily Bay. Plum Creek has partnered with Coastal Enterprises Inc. (CEI) to provide affordable housing as well, donating up to 100 acres on which to build and loaning the builders $1.75 million to get the project started.

The exact location of that housing has not been determined and is expected to be located in several different locations. One area under consideration is near Rum Ridge, Muzzy said. While ideally that land would be swapped for land closer to the downtown, schools and hospital, it would still work if established that far out.

"This plan is going to create a lot of jobs for construction and nature-based tourism and we have to create housing for them," Muzzy said.

One component of the conservation piece was less than popular with the selectmen. The Nature Conservancy plans to buy a 27,000-acre parcel around Second Roach Pond and then give it to the Appalachian Mountain Club. Traditionally, there have been snowmobile trails and other motorized vehicle access through this parcel that AMC has publicly stated that it will eliminate.

"What will that do to access to Penobscot Pond?" asked Alan McBrierty. "Our roads will go right to there (the border), but you will need to invite AMC officials in to see about access on their land," Muzzy replied.

There will be snowmobile trail access across the northem edge of the parcel, he said.

Speaking to controversy that has dogged the plan. Muzzy said people don't understand what the region really is.

"A lot of people are trying to define this area as pristine, untouched wildemess and it isn't. For two hundred years, it has been an active working forest," he said. . "I'm often hit with the claim that we are ruining the character of this area, but when I see a family leave (because of no jobs), I think that is mining the character of the area," he continued.

"My heart is in Greenville and I look at this plan as to how it will affect the locals," Muzzy said.

The company wants to make the plan mutually beneficial for them and the town, he said.

"If you don't like something, you tell us. We are not asking for a free ride and we will be a part of the solution," he said.

An example of that is that Plum Creek is working with the Department of Transportation on a mitigation plan for the increased burden on the roads.

"I don't know what more people can ask for. It looks good to me," Select chair Bonnie DuBien said. "They (Plum Creek) are lucky they got you there, Luke, because you care for the area," McBrierty said.

When the plan was first introduced in 2005, the then Board of Selectmen voted to endorse it. However, a later board rescinded that endorsement and took a neutral stance. Muzzy hopes that situation will change.

"I understand the neutral position was the right one and you needed the facts, but at the end of the day when know that this thing is final, I hope you will support it," he said.

The LURC public hearings on the Plum Creek Concept Plan start in Greenville in the high school auditorium on Saturday, Dec. 1. The second hearing will be held in Augusta on Sunday, Dec. 2, the third on Saturday, Dec. 15, in Portland and the final hearing will retum to Greenville on Sunday, Dec. 16. All hearings will start at 10 a.m. and extend to 6 p.m.

Speaking from the audience, Greenville resident Amo Fichtner told the board that "probably most of the people speaking (at the hearings) will be against, so people should know about it and come out in support if they feel that way."

Greenville has been termed a resource agency in the hearing process, according to Simko. That means the manager will be on hand to offer testimony if asked questions about the capacity of the town to provide services. The designation also allows members of the board and others to stand up and speak to the merits, or lack of, to the plan at the hearings. Had the town remained an intervenor, a position it originally sought, only one town official could speak, Simko said.

SOURCE: PISCATAQUIS OBSERVER

DATE: 11-28-2007


Lakes: Moosehead Lake
Regions: Moosehead


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