Plum Creek, towers on agenda for LURC

The Maine Land Use Regulation Commission will hold its regular monthly meeting in Orono this Wednesday.

The commission will receive an overview of the draft update to LURC’s comprehensive land use plan. Commission members also are expected to make decisions on a request for a 320-foot cellular phone tower in Argyle and meteorological testing towers in Grand Falls Township and Highland Plantation.

LURC also will consider an unusual request from two environmental groups, RESTORE: The North Woods and the Forest Ecology Network, for the commission to dismiss Plum Creek Timber Co.’s development plan for the Moosehead Lake region.

The two groups claim that LURC lacks the legislative authority to make zoning changes that would be locked in place for 30 years. LURC staff members say the commission has the authority under the comprehensive land use plan, which is approved by the Attorney General’s Office and reviewed by the Legislature.

LURC staff members have recommended rejecting the request by RESTORE and Forest Ecology Network.

The meeting, which is open to the public, will begin at 9:30 a.m. The meeting will be held at the Best Western Black Bear Inn, located on Godfrey Drive just off Exit 193 of Interstate 95.

For a complete agenda, go to http://www.maine.gov/doc/lurc.