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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2005-01-28 Penjajawoc Marsh / Bangor Mall Management Commission Minutes Penjajawoc/Stillwater Stakeholders Task Force January 28, 2005 Meeting Meeting Summary Attendance: All stakeholders attended. Miscellaneous: Copies of The Bangor Daily News editorial of 1/28/05 were distributed, which reaffirmed the job of the Task Force was “to balance \[development\] with protecting as much of the Penjajawoc as possible.” The Meeting Summary of the 1/21/05 meeting was changed to eliminate the words “the City Forest, returning via” in the description of the Task Force’s study area. It was noted that Lucy Quimby had also passed out the “Audubon Report” at the 1/21 meeting. Finally, the issues to be addressed by the Task Force was amended to include “f) Recommended zoning, ordinances, and land use changes, if any.” Presentation: Kate Webber, Bangor City Planner gave a presentation about the current state of planning and zoning in the study area. The fourth revision of the City Comprehensive Plan will be issued in June, 2005, updating the 2000 version. The current conceptual land use categories in the study area include: government and institutional, low density residential, shopping and personal service, general commercial and service, rural residential and agricultural, parks and open space, and resource protection. The three actual zones in the study area are resource protection, rural residential and agriculture, and commercial. The existing commercial zone covers 180 of the 1,869 acres in the study area. Kate briefly described the federal and state regulatory process under the Site Location of Development Act (SLODA) which covers natural resource permits and has 28 categories. Traffic analysis is separate and is the responsibility of the Maine DOT. The City is responsible for issuing Site Planning and Code Enforcement permits. The City only requires 3 parking spaces per 1,000 sf of commercial development, but developers often offer more for shoppers’ convenience. Vision: Stakeholders were asked to articulate their respective visions for the study area and this process. The following were responses (some of which were reiterated more than once):  My ideal vision is affected by the reality of the ongoing projects  Bangor should recognize the marsh as a jewel for its extraordinary value as home to significant wildlife habitat  Farmland conservation  We should find ways to conserve even in the City’s designated “growth” area  The City’s interests include preserving the natural habitat AND maintaining its tax base and maintaining our status as a regional service area  Appropriate public access open to all on an equal treatment basis  Sufficient buffer zones to protect birds  Reduction in hostilities among differing interests  We are all proud of the Penjajawoc marsh because of its unique location immediately adjacent to urban area  Development occurs at a “respectful distance” from the marsh  Fairness to landowners  Reach out to find common ground  A process which would honor landowners’ interests and give them alternatives which allow for a commercial return  Our history can be out future if we preserve Bangor’s architectural heritage and the precious resource  This allows us to condense development to prevent sprawl  I would like to be able to drop my kids at the mall and then walk for an hour in a “greenbelt” surrounding the marsh (keeping it in rural protection)  Landowners have a right to make a profit  We want a great livable city to live and work in  We must recognize certain realities we can’t change (e.g. the Interstate)  What can we do that will last for the next 30 years or more?  This study area is part of the larger Caribou Bog project, which may give us some opportunities for tradeoffs or mitigation  We must recognize we all wear various “hats” (landowner, developer, environmentalist) so there are no easy divisions  We must balance a healthy economy with preservation of natural areas  We are in competition with other towns and if we overly restrict development we may jeopardize our status as a regional service center  The influx of Canadian shoppers means Bangor will “explode” in the next 10 years  We should use this as an opportunity to start now to work with developers who are willing to work with Land Trusts and others to protect natural areas  We should develop a set of priorities about what needs most protection  We should see this as an opportunity for a “win-win” solution by using the developers’ obligation to mitigate as a chance to protect natural areas.  This should dovetail with a pragmatic Comprehensive Plan  We should consider conservation easements and purchases which give landowners’ compensation  We need legal protection for the marsh  I’d like to keep it as it is, for my privacy and for my children  We must come up with ways to alleviate traffic on Stillwater Avenue  The Railroad bed has historical value  Some landowners have already agreed to a 600’ setback from the wetland edge  I’d like to move or build a single family home overlooking Black Pond  I’d like to see a nursing home named for m grandmother  We need a buffer from the railroad bed to the mall  We could have a horse drawn carriage ride on the railroad bed; this may require a bridge where the stream crosses the railroad bed  We should consider opportunities for water level control in which the affected landowners have input  Development which addresses environmental concerns  We may need a barrier to keep deer out of the mall area It was noted that while there are differences, that many of the stakeholders articulated similar interests for the stud area. In a general discussion after the visioning exercise, stakeholders noted that Bangor could maintain its status as a regional “draw” in a variety of ways, including eco-tourism. Differences in scientific data: It was reemphasized that the Audubon study of the marsh was created to create an “ideal” situation for the wildlife, while recognizing that “compromise is our job” (the Task Force). The report is a starting point for dialogue, “not a demand”. Update on ongoing projects: Kevin Kane distributed copies of Widewaters’ preliminary development plan for its land. John Corbett discussed the Maine DOT “scoping” meeting, during which, at the City’s suggestion, the area of traffic impact and analysis was expanded to State Street and Broadway. This study will take 7-8 weeks. A discussion ensued about the status of the proposed Parallel Access Road, the land for which is currently owned by one of the stakeholders, and whether its rerouting or elimination would create more opportunity for a buffer in the Widewaters project. It was noted that the data necessary to an informed decision on this question would only be generated by the W/S traffic study. Next Steps and Next Meetings: Meetings were scheduled for February 4, 11 and 18, all from noon to 3 p.m. At the next meeting Bob Duchesne will make a presentation on the opportunities for eco- tourism presented by the marsh. Then John Corbett and Kevin Kane will make presentations about their proposed projects. At the next meeting, Carol Epstein will work with City staff to produce working maps showing actual land ownership, in order for the Task Force to begin its assessment of the impact on various options. Meeting Summary prepared by facilitator Jonathan W. Reitman, 47 Ocean Drive, Brunswick, ME 04011, jreitman@blazenetme.net, 729-1900.