Development plan hearing slated for First Roach Pond

GREENVILLE – Plum Creek Land Co. could have applied for a traditional subdivision application without providing any indication of the company’s vision for the future for its proposed development of land around First Roach Pond.

Instead, the company chose to take a broader view of its holdings by developing a concept plan that balances development and conservation over a long period of time and provides “predictability” to both the landowner and the public, a consultant said Thursday.

An overview of the plan submitted by Plum Creek Land Co. was presented to the Land Use Regulation Commission at its regular monthly meeting, held Thursday at the Community House in Greenville.

Over the course of the plan, the company wants to develop 89 seasonal camp lots in clusters, of which 62 would be shorefront lots and 27 back lots, ranging in size from 1.5 to 11 acres. In addition, the company proposes to conserve 75 percent of its shorefront ownership, including 11 miles of shoreline. Public access would be guaranteed to more than 1,000 acres around the pond, according to the plan.

Because the proposal is expected to generate much interest, especially in the Moosehead Lake region, the commission voted Thursday to conduct a public hearing on Oct. 25 in Greenville.

Brian Kent of Kent Associates of Gardiner, who designed the concept plan for Plum Creek, said Thursday that the plan “was the right thing to do” since the company owns all the land around the 7-mile long lake. The concept plan applies to, and regulates, all land use within the plan area for 20 years from its stamp of approval from LURC. Any conservation measures approved in the plan would be in perpetuity, he said.

LURC first received a concise 12-page summary of the concept plan about two weeks ago and received copies of the entire application earlier this week. Within the next few days, the land company intends to file applications for the first three subdivisions representing 31 lots around the lake. Kent said LURC will be asked to review the concept plan and the subdivision applications for the proposed development concurrently.

Kent said the company chose First Roach Pond, which consists of 3,200 acres, because it was designated by LURC as “potentially suitable for development.” It lies near Kokadjo and Greenville and already has 108 existing shorefront camps. The proposed new lots are considerably below the state’s maximum allowance on First Roach Pond, he said.

“We feel this is an appropriate location and is consistent with your plan,” Kent said.

Because of the development pressure in the Moosehead Lake area, clustering well-screened camp lots on the pond could relieve more pristine areas from development pressure, according to the consultant.

Presently, there are three leases extended in the area and the company has held discussions with the leaseholders. Plum Creek will work with the lessees, Steve Robe, land administrator for the company, said Thursday.

Although Plum Creek has yet to decide who will hold the conservation easement, one agency mentioned Thursday was the Bureau of Parks and Land.