Hampden working to become Tree City USA

HAMPDEN – The council has allocated money to map town open space, which officials say will benefit the entire community, recreational organizations and businesses alike.

The town has hired Prentiss & Carlisle, a forest management company, to take on three tasks – map all 39 square miles of Hampden and highlight its different sectors of land use, do a timber inventory of an approximately 100-acre town-owned parcel off Route 202, and conduct a wetlands inventory, which will assist the town’s enforcement of shoreline zoning.

“This will help promote a happy medium between different types of development and the conservation of open space, while at the same time creating a sustainable community growth rate,” said Gretchen Heldmann, the town’s information technology and geographic information systems specialist.

For several months, the town has worked to update its decade-old comprehensive plan. In December, town officials and councilors agreed the town needed to become more involved with the planning and development of the community.

In total, the town will pay Prentiss & Carlisle $23,750 for its work. The timber inventory will be conducted on one piece of land, commonly referred to as the “L.L. Bean” property off Route 202. The town will pay the entire bill, but there is a possibility the state will reimburse at least a percentage of the money, Heldmann said.

After the timber inventory is complete, the town will know the kind and quantity of trees that exist on the land. Eventually, the property could turn into a working forest from which timber could be harvested on a regular cycle to improve the health of the entire forest, Heldmann said. Trails also could be cut for recreational use.

When timber is sold, the town can reinvest the revenue into maintaining green space, Heldmann said.

“My view is how this will work together to make Hampden the best community it can be,” Town Manager Susan Lessard said. “A very exhaustive inventory of who we are and what we have will pay off for us down the road.”

With such a large focus on green space, the town has completed preliminary work to become a Tree City USA. Fourteen Maine cities are registered with the program, including Bangor, Orono and Camden.

As a member, the town would need to appoint a tree board, create a tree care ordinance, observe Arbor Day and build a $2-per-capita budget, which at Hampden’s current population is approximately $13,500. Money spent hiring Prentiss & Carlisle should cover the budget requirement this year, Heldmann said.

Since councilors hope to shift the tax burden from residential property taxes to businesses, planned commercial growth is the goal of the future, Heldmann said.

“Hindsight is always 20-20,” Lessard said. “We’re trying to have 20-20 vision going forward. Hampden is certainly pro-business and also pro-quality of life, and it is possible to have the best of both worlds if we plan for it.”