Orono Residents for Reasonable Development

I am a 22-year resident of Orono and have lived on Spencer Street for the past 20 years. I am writing both as an individual and as a member of the community group, Orono Residents for Reasonable Development.

Prior to moving to Orono, I lived in Lincoln Park in Chicago. I came to Orono as a single parent with two children having accepted a faculty position at the University of Maine. I vividly recall my daughter exclaiming somewhere around Pittsfield as we drove I-95 from Portland, “Mom, nobody lives here – where are the houses?” I also recall my son’s delight when after two days in Orono he rode his bike all over town and returned to announce, “Mom, I tried, but you just can’t get lost here.” They were 11 and 8 respectively. They are now 33 and 30, residents of Boston and Los Angeles.

I’m still here because that move was one of the best decisions I ever made. I own a lovely home on Spencer Street that nurtured a family starting over. I experience a warm, caring community on a daily basis. I am a short walk or drive from my work. My quality of life is exceptional. I want it to stay that way. In addition my home is my primary investment. It is my financial future and what happens in this community may very well impact that future. But first it is my home, the place where my kids return to visit for a brief respite from city life.

The fact that there are fewer houses in this neck of the woods no longer concerns my daughter. She likes it that way. My son is saddened by the prospect of losing the woods surrounding our neighborhood. So here’s my point. This town is a treasure. The people who live here like, no love the character of this town. My neighbors have formed Orono Residents for Reasonable Development not because they are against progress, but because they are for this town.

I have been deeply touched by the commitment of my neighbors to the preservation of the character and history of Orono and the quality of life that this little town affords. From the hard work and research of those same dedicated neighbors I am becoming educated on the legislative statutes and review criteria for an urban compact such as the Orono-Old Town compact, and the federal regulations relative to a historical district such as Orono’s. I am referring specifically to Historical Preservation Act #106. To my dismay and that of my neighbors, it appears that neither the Town

Council nor the Planning Board is sufficiently aware of the significance of these regulations relative to proposed developments.

On the subject of change, I’ll speak for myself rather than presume to speak for my neighbors. I welcome new residents. I want to see young families, seniors, single folks who will energize this community. What I do not want to see is an explosion of development that destroys the beauty and historic character of this town, drains its resources and leaves it just another congested, characterless collection of bad architecture where once there were woods and trails and wildlife habitat. I would like to see a reasonable balance of development and the preservation of natural surroundings. I would like to see a thoughtful consideration of the historic structures and neighborhoods when any development is proposed.

While I recognize that this board is unable to declare a moratorium on development, I would like the town to carefully consider the impact of proposed developments on its future. I would like the Planning Board and the Town Council to do everything in their power to assure that when somebody like me, 22 years ago, arrives in this town, they can feel like they made one of the best decisions of their lives – because the residents of Orono, not developers, have a strong voice in our collective future.

Susan K. Riley is a resident of Orono.