Town Of Searsmont

Planning Board Minutes

June 19, 2007

1. Call To Order: 7:00 pm.

2. Attendance: Chair: George Sprowl, Vice Chair: Paul Leeper, Peter Jolliffe, Jack

Degraff , Dave Marceau, and Walter Thomas.

3. Review of Applications and Requests:

A. Mr. and Mrs. Pendleton: Pond Road South: Applying for a permit for rebuilding their existing Cabin after demolition of the old one. The only changes to the rebuilding will be a foundation will be added. All other structures and the cabins dimensions will remain the same.

Ÿ There was no practical alternative reason for moving the house.

Ÿ Michael Jones will be the contractor for the work.

Ÿ First floor is 14’ above the high water mark in the 100 year Flood Zone.

Ÿ An Elevation certificate needs to be presented by Good Deeds.

Ÿ A Permit Fee of $120.00 still needs to be collected.

With duly noted above stipulations pending and for reasons mentioned above the Planning Board made a

Motion to accept the above application given its stipulations: seconded, and passed unanimously.

B. Wanageesha Camp: Appling for a permit for a new Deck within the Shoreland Zone

Ÿ Presented the Planning Board with a request to build two 10x16’ decks on a

sq. ft. Building.

Ÿ The decks passed all requirements therefore the Planning Board made a

Motion made seconded and passed unanimously.

Special Presentation: Rich Baker, the Shoreland Zone Coordinator from the Maine Department of Environmental Protection Agency was here to explain changes in the State mandated, Shoreland Zoning Ordinance Act. Some of the topics he discussed were:

Ÿ The purpose of this mandate is to further protect the wildlife, it’s inhabitants, to protect buildings and lands from flooding and accelerated erosion: to protect aquatic life and all species, to conserve natural beauty and open space, and to anticipate and respond to the impacts of development in Shoreland areas.

Ÿ The guidelines proposed to do this can be found on the States web site or by contacting the Department of Environmental Protection’s Shoreland Zoning Unit: 17 State House Station, Augusta, Maine 04333.

Ÿ The Options offered to all towns in Maine are:

A. Adopt the States Plan

B. Design their own personal town plan or

C. Modify and Adopt the States Plan.

Rich Baker also spoke of one real major change of the State mandated Shoreland Growth Management Plan. This is a State Mandate to regulate timber harvesting in the Shoreland Zone. This needs to be voted on by all towns in Maine no later than July 1, 2008.

. It pertains to the State regulating the timber harvesting in the Shoreland Zone. The town’s options are the same as above in A, B, and C. Again, any further information on this topic can be found at the States Website:

http://www.maine.gov/dep/blwq/docstand/szpage.htm#publicationssz

4. Minutes: Review of June 5, 2007. Motion made, seconded and passed with some minor

Changes.

5. Communications:

Ÿ Steve Page has replied with a “Yes” to join the Comprehensive Sub-Committee.

6. Old Business: None

7. New Business: None

8. Adjournment: 9:00 pm.