Saturday, April 28, 2007
Plum Creek Timber Co. introduced its latest plan on Friday for what would be northern Maine's largest development project.
The company's revised proposal for the Moosehead Lake region calls for fewer waterfront lots and more donated conservation land. It also would increase the amount of land zoned for development and the number of resort accommodations that could be built near the western shore of Moosehead.
The plan, submitted to the state's Land Use Regulation Commission, is the second revision that Plum Creek has made since it first proposed the massive development two years ago.
The Seattle-based company, one of the largest timberland owners in Maine and the country, has focused attention on the value and the future of Maine's 10 million-acre North Woods.
The revised plan still includes 975 house lots and two resorts, but the revisions would reduce shoreline development on Moosehead Lake and nearby ponds and lakes by 40 percent, said Luke Muzzy, Plum Creek's senior land asset manager.
The plan probably will meet some opposition, Muzzy said, but it also should ease concerns.
"We're not going to make everybody happy, on both sides," he said. "I hear all the time from some people saying there shouldn't be anything up here, and other people saying we should be able to do more development down the road."
Jym St. Pierre, Maine director of RESTORE: The North Woods, said the plan would double the amount of land on which the project would be developed, from about 10,000 acres to more than 20,000.
It also proposes to increase, from 500 to 800, the number of housing units -- houses, condominiums or hotel rooms -- allowable in the project's Big Moose Mountain resort.
While the plan contains improvements from the previous one, it's still out of scale for the region, St. Pierre said.
"What they're saying is, 'We've made improvements, so you should be happy,'" he said. "If you're hitting your head against the wall 100 times and then hitting your head against the wall only 80 times, I guess that's an improvement."
From the start, the plan has been opposed by environmental groups that say the development would be inappropriate for the largest undeveloped tract east of the Mississippi River.
The plan is the largest subdivision ever proposed in Maine.
Cathy Johnson, North Woods project manager for the Natural Resources Council of Maine, said the new plan has some positive elements, such as moving some lots closer to the populated area of Greenville and dropping plans to develop house lots on a number of lakes and ponds.
However, Plum Creek's intention to develop a resort on Moosehead Lake's Lily Bay and house lots on the shores of Long Pond, 15 miles to the west, still troubles her.
"Our overall goal is to make sure the beauty and character of the spectacular Moosehead Lake region are not destroyed by Plum Creek's proposed development," Johnson said.
The new plan will be reviewed by the Land Use Regulation Commission, which oversees development in the state's unorganized territories.
The first possible date for the start of public hearings is Oct. 29, according to the commission.
Regarding land conservation, Plum Creek is proposing to increase the amount of land it puts into conservation from 70,000 to 90,000 acres once the plan is approved, Muzzy said.
It also plans to sell conservation easements and land totaling 341,000 acres to The Nature Conservancy and other groups.
If approved, it would be the second-largest conservation easement in U.S. history, Plum Creek said.
Reader comments
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Plum Creek would be wise to pursuade NRCM considering how much sway they have with the LURC Commissioners. Unfair, yes, but true.
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The Maine north woods, especially the large area of land around Moosehead Lake is highly unusual in America (except for Alaska areas) in that it is undeveloped. It's the largest area of undeveloped forest left in America. Developers call it a waste and see dollar signs and profit, not "Maine." The people who will buy those tract houses won't see "Maine."
One of the things that makes Maine great is the vast emptiness of NORTH WOODS and the wilderness around Moosehead Lake. It is the fact that there are no developments that makes it great, not just that there area few trees. Plum Creek won't just end it, it will be the beginning. Don't believe for a second that Plum Creek will stop there, or that development won't stop with "just a few." Plum Creek doesn't nothing good for the rest of Maine; it will certianly make a few out of state developers rich off Maine. Maine - the way life used to be.
A living (horrible) example is what happened to northern Virginia. Loudon County 40-60 miles west of DC used to be all country and horse country. A few people lived there and loved the "country." It has become a poster child for pavement and developer rape. Even on weekends traffic "way out there" is unbelievable (forget about "smart growth"). Imagine miles and miles of the areas around the Maine Mall, or that strip of Route 302 in North Windham by the Home Depot. The new people who recently moved out to Loudon County complain the loudest of all about the next waves of development. Loudon County - the way life used to be.
The Maine north woods needs to be kept as it is. Valuable. Don't let Plum Creek continue. Yes, it IS this important.report abuse
Beyond that, I think the "market forces" will determine if it gets done; if the interest rates continue to go up, housing prices decline and more mortgages go into foreclosure, they may have a lot of land to sell without buyers.
The economy is not that good, and it's going to get worse within 6 months for many of the people Plum Creek wants to sell to.
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Excuse me folks "the Maine citizens" do not own this land. We have systems in place to protect this land. Mind your own business and let land owners improve "their" land anyway they want, according to the law.............And for those who want to break the law and burn or vandalize someone else's property............It's time to "lock and load"! report abuse
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