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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2005-01-21 Penjajawoc Marsh / Bangor Mall Management Commission Minutes Penjajawoc/Stillwater Stakeholders Task Force January 21, 2005 Meeting Meeting Summary Attendance: All stakeholders except Carol Epstein attended. Jim Parker from CES took John Corbett’s place. Groundrules: The Task Force accepted the proposed Groundrules, suggesting that as a whole they would represent a good faith effort to reach consensus. Several members asked for help in enforcement of the groundrules and said they would welcome reminders if others thought they were in violation of them. Use of Alternates: Task Force members will make every effort to attend all meetings. When that is impossible, each Task Force member will appoint a designated alternate to fill in at a particular meeting and notify the facilitator. It is the stakeholder’s responsibility to insure the alternate is “up to speed” on issues to be considered. If the stakeholder has concerns about an issue to be discussed in their absence, those concerns can be raised with the facilitator and/or by the alternate. Unless the Task Force decides otherwise, issues which were considered in a stakeholder’s absence will not be revisited. Goal: The group affirmed their Goal as established by the Bangor City Council: “To establish policies and strategies for the short and long term that allow for smart development pf the Penjajawoc Marsh area.” To that end, the group will consider a geographic area bounded as follows: Stillwater Ave/Route 95, to Essex Street, along the west side of the marsh, to the City Forest, returning via the power line and Kittredge Avenue. Staff were asked to prepare a visual representation of the area to be considered. Use of Resource people: The following topics were identified as ones on which the Task Force might request educational presentations: 1) Baseline presentation on current City zoning/planning of the area, along with outline of steps to be followed in any development process—Kate Webber will present at the 1/28 meeting. 2) Eco-Tourism possibilities 3) Farmland Conservation 4) Forest/woodlot management 5) Maine Audubon Report and other habitat studies of the marsh 6) Traffic models (including the BACTS Report and Widewater’s traffic construction requirements as outlined by Maine DOT) 7) Overview of wetlands impacts and NEPA requirements It was noted that, depending on the topic, some of these presentations may be made in smaller groups than the entire Task Force. It was also noted that the City staff are to be considered resource people and Task Force members will submit requests for information/guidance through the Task Force process. Ongoing projects: The Task Force understands that two developments are currently in the application process. Representatives of those developments pledged to keep the Task Force advised of, and provide accurate information about, all steps in the application process and to provide for Task Force review all documents submitted to Federal, State or City officials. The representatives also agreed that to the extent the Task Force developments consensus recommendations on performance guidelines or others issues affecting the developments, those recommendations will be “folded in” to the applicant’s project. Other stakeholders pledged in return to raise issues or concerns at the earlier possible time. It was understood that because of “carrying costs” the developers experience pressure to move their projects to the approval stage, and to the extent concerns can be raised and resolved in a timely and orderly way, this will potentially free up some financial resources which can be used for mitigation purposes. Small Group Work: It was understood that smaller groups of stakeholders may meet outside the formal Task Force meetings. To the extent such meetings result in understandings, they will be conveyed through the formal Task Force process, in the interests of transparency. Issues: The Task Force adopted the following list of issues for its consideration: a) Define “protection” for Penjajawoc Marsh b) Recognition and preservation of landowners’ property rights c) Appropriate access to Marsh d) Design, performance guidelines for developments e) Transportation/Traffic Issues (including Parallel Access Road) f) Recommended zoning changes, if any g) Access, easements and control of railroad right of way NEXT MEETINGS: THE NEXT TASK FORCE MEETINGS WILL BE HELD FRIDAY, JANUARY 28 FROM 1 TO 4 P.M., AND FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 4, FROM NOON TO 3 P.M. ALL MEETINGS WILL BE IN CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS. FUTURE MEETINGS WILL BE SCHEDULED IN A ‘ROLLING’ FASHION. Meeting Summary prepared by Facilitator Jonathan W. Reitman.