Today at their public meeting in Dover Foxcroft, the Maine Land Use Regulation Commission voted 5-0 to unanimously reject a proposed 70 lot subdivision at Burnt Jacket Mountain on Moosehead Lake.
This discussion and vote is seen by many as indicative of how LURC might proceed during their deliberation on Plum Creek’s massive development proposal for 975 houses and two large resorts scattered in dozens of subdivisions around the Moosehead Lake region.
In response to the LURC staff recommendation, Diano Circo, North Woods Policy Advocate for the Natural Resources Council of Maine said:
“A beautiful part of Moosehead Lake has been protected from a badly designed development.
“The staff recommendation includes very significant conclusions about the importance of protecting the Moosehead Lake region from unbridled construction of seasonal homes that are not affordable to the average Maine citizen – and which damage the scenic and remote values of the area.
“The recommendation states very strongly that new development should be near existing developed areas, and should not contribute to sprawl.
“Staff concluded that this development would degrade the existing, unspoiled nature of the most remote part of the Burnt Jacket peninsula.
“We believe today’s unanimous vote has strong implications for Plum Creek’s proposal to build nearly 1,000 houselots in sprawling subdivisions all the way around Moosehead Lake – including in many places even more remote and less appropriate for development than the Burnt Jacket peninsula.
“This recommendation shows us that LURC is taking seriously its commitment to the protection of Maine’s scenic beauty and remote character.”
NRCM testified in opposition to this development proposal and LURC staff recommended that the commission reject the Burnt Jacket Mountain proposal.
