At 6:15 PM regular Board members Waine Whittier, Alan Williams, Creston Gaither, Ed Lawless, and Tim Bickford met with Brian Rehea, representing Maine Woods and Waters LLC, at the site of his proposed Stream Road Subdivision, and viewed the site as required by the Subdivision Ordinance, it being depicted on
tax map 5 as Lot 5–2.
At 7:00 PM the same Board members arrived at the Town House and held the Board’s regular meeting. Minutes of the July 28 meeting were read and accepted.
Stream Road Subdivision was discussed. Brian presented a Preliminary Plan dated 8/25/21. He said the subdivision comprises all of the LLC’s currently held contiguous property. It does not appear to be subject to any known zoning regulations. Some concern that the name “Stream Road Subdivision” had previously been used for an unrelated subdivision was raised. Creston will check on this at the Registry of Deeds. Brian said the parcel corner pins are not yet in but will be set prior to final approval. Proposed deed restrictions appear in Brian’s application. Existing wetlands and approximate contours are shown on the Preliminary Plan. The subdivision’s restrictions outline soil erosion control measures at length.
The Board agreed that the Preliminary Plan meets the requirements of Sect. 4.D. of the Subdivision Ordinance, “Submission of Preliminary Plan.” Creston will send Brian an email confirming that it does so.
Existing diversion ditches diverting water from the road onto the proposed lots were discussed. The possibility of explicit acknowledgement of these and the Town’s right to maintain them was discussed. The Board suggested that the final plan include this note: “Road water diversion ditches existing at the time of subdivision approval may be maintained by the Town.”
Brian may propose an alternative solution for this matter. He is concerned that the ditches may create a stream of water which might create a financial hardship for the landowner. He may rewrite the 75- foot road setback covenant to permit ditch maintenance within that buffer zone.
Creston will advertise the Board’s September meeting as a public hearing on the subdivision. Brian will add a note to the final plan requiring Planning Board approval for further division of any lot in the subdivision.
Waine has discussed boat mooring ordinances with an MMA attorney. She did not think we could prohibit houseboats but could regulate them in some measure. Waine presented copies of an ordinance which was recently enacted in Belgrade. The Board will discuss this at its September meeting and may present a version of the ordinance to the Town for adoption at its March Town Meeting.
The meeting adjourned at 8:00 PM.
Creston Gaither, secretary