Sad Day for Northern Maine (appointed, home, camps)

[Northern Maine Land Man]

It's a sad day for Northern Maine. Governor LePage just signed the LURC bill. Much more to follow.

[Kristin85]

What are the immediate and long-term repercussions of the abolishment of the LURC? Immediate changes to building/forestry restrictions and long-term changes to land sales?

[Coaster]

So what does this mean for LURC's existing staff? Anyone know?

Maine Governor Signs LURC Reform Bill

Maine Governor Signs LURC Reform Bill
The bill replaces the seven-member Land Use Regulation Commission with a new nine-member Maine Land Use Planning Commission.
05/21/2012 03:46 PM ET

Gov. Paul LePage today signed a bill that does away with the organization that's been overseeing land use and planning in Maine's unorganized territories for the past 40 years.

LD 1798 replaces the seven-member Land Use Regulation Commission with a new nine-member Maine Land Use Planning Commission, and sets other changes in motion.

The new commission's mission goes beyond that of LURC, which the Legislature created in 1971 to serve as the planning, zoning and permitting authority for the state's more than 10 million acres of unorganized territory.

The new commission will have a role in encouraging economic development, as well as conservation. "The signing of L.D. 1798 provides a great opportunity to set aside old battles that often pitted landowners against those who see the Great Maine Woods as a public good," says Conservation Commissioner Bill Beardsley in a statement.

The commission will be a division of Maine's Department of Conservation. The changes are scheduled to go into effect in mid-August.

[Northern Maine Land Man]

"So what does this mean for LURC's existing staff? Anyone know?"

They are far more powerful and have jobs for life. It's a happy day for the environmental industry.

[Missing_The_Greatland]

Originally Posted by Northern Maine Land Man

It's a sad day for Northern Maine. Governor LePage just signed the LURC bill. Much more to follow.

Is this the first step in LePage's plan to zone 10 million acres of northern Maine for development (info taken from Wikipedia, so I'm not sure of the reliability)? I understand the need for responsible development and also the need for jobs, but is this what Mainers want?

I'm asking because I am in the process of moving to your lovely state and just trying to understand what to anticipate. I noticed that the "Welcome to Maine" signs were amended with the "Open for Business" slogan just beneath "The Way Life Should Be" slogan. Does Maine really want to take the same path as the rest of the east coast? Very sad, IMHO.

[DreamKeeper]

Wow, this is really sad. I don't live in Maine but have visited your beautiful state many times. I've always thought of Maine as the Montana of the eastern U.S. and believe it is the last true great wilderness area on the east coast. If this bill does open up all that land for development then the state will be no doubt end up like every other state on the east coast.

[bangorme]

Originally Posted by Coaster

...
The new commission will have a role in encouraging economic development, as well as conservation.

I guess I'm confused about the benefit here. We already have thousands of empty acres in northern Maine that don't seem to be in great demand for economic development. We certainly don't see any industry going up there, and don't see jobs up there.

What this is all about is opening up the area for out-of-state summer home development. Just in case there was any property on any body of water in Maine that could be within the price range of 99% of the Mainers, this should take care of that. It isn't that I mind our camps being bought up by flatlanders, but it's that once they get in here, they start posting and limiting accessibility. To them, Maine is a great private park, where only those making over $200 a year should be able to actually own anything or access anything pleasant in Maine. If you don't believe me, try to access the ocean in southern Maine. There lies our future everywhere in Maine.

[Northern Maine Land Man]

This is a huge victory for the environmental industry. It freezes the hated CLUP in place. The CLUP is the Comprehensive Land Use Plan. It has designated less than one percent of the ten million acres they govern for development. Any guesses who owns that one percent? It is owned by the environmental industry. The old line families who own timberland in Maine are out of luck. The Devil is in the details. The Devil won.

[IRV007]

Wisconsin Gov. Walker has this guy running the deer hunt:
“Public Game Management Is The Last Bastion Of Communism” Dr.James Kroll-Walker Appointed Deer Trustee!! | Lodi Valley News

See the Repubs believe hunting on Public grounds is Communism.

[mainebrokerman]

Originally Posted by Missing_The_Greatland

Is this the first step in LePage's plan to zone 10 million acres of northern Maine for development (info taken from Wikipedia, so I'm not sure of the reliability)? I understand the need for responsible development and also the need for jobs, but is this what Mainers want?

I'm asking because I am in the process of moving to your lovely state and just trying to understand what to anticipate. I noticed that the "Welcome to Maine" signs were amended with the "Open for Business" slogan just beneath "The Way Life Should Be" slogan. Does Maine really want to take the same path as the rest of the east coast? Very sad, IMHO.

maine is the most forested state in the nation, over 90% trees

you dont have to worry about the asphalt jungle in maine- or over development

as nmlm has said, over 27000 new acres of forest are created every year(from farm and pasture lands)