Proposed Pine Tree subdivision in Palermo – part 2

by Jeanne Marquis

(See part 1 of this series here.)

Holden reports that his committee has gathered over 100 signatures to date on a petition against the approval of the proposed Pine Tree subdivision. To participate in the petition, contact Holden at heholden@fairpoint.net.

The proposed Pine Tree subdivision is planned for a 27-acre site on Hostile Valley Road (Tax Map R11, lot 27C) in a sparsely developed Sheepcot River watershed area in Palermo. The Pine Tree subdivision would include 15 buildable lots of varying sizes with each lot required to have separate wells and septic systems.

Holden, an abutting property owner to the proposed Pine Tree subdivision, said, “We are not against development – Palermo must keep up with the rest of the world, but this area is the wrong place.”

Melissa Cote, Sheepscot River Watershed Manager from the Midcoast Conservancy, wrote the following statement concerning the location of the proposed Pine Tree Subdivision in Palermo, Maine:

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There is a right place and a wrong place for most things, and this valuable ecological habitat is the right place to protect the fragile Sheepscot River ecosystem. We are specifically concerned about its proximity to the mainstem of the Sheepscot River. There is a brook that the parcel borders that leads directly into the mainstem Sheepscot River which runs into Sheepscot Lake, so water quality is a concern here. The parcel is currently forested, and forests help keep water clean, especially along streams. Forests filter pollutants from the surrounding landscape and also help to shade rivers and streams which helps to keep water cool in our warming climate. The developer is proposing 15 new lots all with individual septic systems. Septic systems are designed to remove bacteria, which is a human health concern, but not nutrients such as phosphorus and nitrogen, which can lead to algal blooms in nearby water bodies.

My understanding from the Sheepscot Lake Association is that the water quality in the Lake is fairly good and this subdevelopment could potentially threaten the water quality of the brook, river, and the lake. If you look at the Beginning With Habitat Map viewer, you can see that the parcel is part of a 1,557 acre undeveloped habitat block, has mapped deer wintering habitat, is less than 500 feet from an aquifer, and is also near federally endangered Atlantic salmon habitat in the mainstem Sheepscot River. It’s also less than a quarter mile from an even larger undeveloped forest block (5,703 acres) which is where Midcoast Conservancy has 1,100+ acres of preserved land with hiking trails. Developing within an undeveloped habitat block leads to habitat fragmentation, which is when large blocks of habitat are cut into smaller pieces and leaves wildlife with less space and freedom to move about their habitat. Overall, there are a lot of environmental concerns here, and something we’d like to communicate to people is that healthy watersheds = healthy communities. Once water quality is impaired it is very difficult and costly to restore. We think there are better places for a subdevelopment to be located than this parcel on Hostile Valley Road.

The board of the Sheepscot Lake Association expressed their concern for the preservation for the lake as well and their trust in the planning board in their statement regarding the proposed Pine Tree Subdivision:

As the board of a lake association, Sheepscot Lake Association’s focus concerns the health and preservation of the lake and watershed. We continue to encourage proper buffers to reduce erosion and restrictions on fertilizers and any runoffs that would affect this, and any water body. And we certainly want development to follow code and work closely with the local regulatory agencies. We support the planning board’s approach to the situation as they are knowledgeable about the requirements, respect the process of controlled development, and base approval on current ordinances.

After the first article on the proposed Pine Tree Subdivision, Cameron Maillet, chairman of the Comprehensive Plan Committee, felt there was confusion as to what documents would govern the approval process of the proposed subdivision. Maillet explained, “The Comprehensive Plan for the town of Palermo was written over 30 years ago and is not a binding document. The ordinance written in 2002 that does pertain to the proposed subdivision is the Subdivision Ordinance of the Town of Palermo.” The Comprehensive Plan is currently being updated. Meeting times and dates for the Comprehensive Plan Committee will be posted on the Town of Palermo website.

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The Subdivision Ordinance, which can be found on the Town of Palermo website here, is also currently being reviewed by the planning Bbard. The board’s next meeting to review this document is scheduled Tuesday, January 28 at 6 pm at the Town Office.