What is wrong with Blue Hill? (Camden, Surry: houses, buy, new construction)

[banjoseth]

I just came back from the long holiday weekend and am totally dispirited by what I saw.

Hideous, overscaled, outrageously inappropriate replacements of the historic Legion Hall's wooden porch columns. Ugly, poorly chosen, cheap, badly-colored brick that bears no relation not only to what was there before but to the brick the building was constructed of in the first place. It's a travesty. I'm ashamed of Blue Hill for allowing it. It dishonors the town, dishonors veterans, dishonors the memory of the students and teachers who used the building when it was still a school. I don't think it's too strong to say that the people who should be publicly shamed for perpetrating such a disgrace aren't capable of feeling shame - the very existence of these columns proves as much.

And where was the planning board? The building is in a historic district and changes like this need to be reviewed, wouldn't you think? Even to just "rubber stamp" them, which seems to be all they do? How could even that crowd have let this happen? I think their collective eye must have been off the ball because of the Shoreland District business - but there's no excuse whatsoever, in my mind, for such a lapse.

I'm sick of this kind of thing happening to my town. Aesthetics ARE important. Planning board members are supposed to be thoughtful stewards yet example after example is piling up that shows none of them are really up to the job. Burning out? Don't whine about your volunteer work being unappreciated, just resign, please, while there's still some part of Blue Hill you haven't wrecked!

[AustinB]

I did not know that Blue Hill had a historic district. I haven't paid any attention to the legion hall for the few times that I have gone by it lately. I'm watching out for the sewer construction.

I'd rather have the congo church get off road parking than worry about the columns on the legion hall

[Maine Writer]

If you live in Blue Hill it's time to become a planning board member.

[Northern Maine Land Man]

It's all about controlling something they don't own. If you buy a building in a designated historic district and your building is a "National Historic Site" you know going in that you will be limited as to what you can do with the building. That's fine. I sure wouldn't want one. If some group of functionaries wants to take control of my old 1885 house they are going to have a fight on their hands.

[island mermaid]

Originally Posted by AustinB

I did not know that Blue Hill had a historic district. I haven't paid any attention to the legion hall for the few times that I have gone by it lately. I'm watching out for the sewer construction.

I'd rather have the congo church get off road parking than worry about the columns on the legion hall

I'd like to know exactly where the historic district is too? Obviously I miss it every time I drive through. I'm familiar with the downtown district, I love the fact that it's now a funky, crunchy, little artsy fartsy town lined with tourists. Far better than a run down little town with empty store fronts. I love the restored old houses that are now B&B's, there's a couple great restaurants and George Stevens looks exactly like it use to as far as I can remember. I'll have to pay more attention next summer.

[Acadianlion]

Originally Posted by banjoseth

I just came back from the long holiday weekend and am totally dispirited by what I saw.

Hideous, overscaled, outrageously inappropriate replacements of the historic Legion Hall's wooden porch columns. Ugly, poorly chosen, cheap, badly-colored brick that bears no relation not only to what was there before but to the brick the building was constructed of in the first place. It's a travesty. I'm ashamed of Blue Hill for allowing it. It dishonors the town, dishonors veterans, dishonors the memory of the students and teachers who used the building when it was still a school. I don't think it's too strong to say that the people who should be publicly shamed for perpetrating such a disgrace aren't capable of feeling shame - the very existence of these columns proves as much.

And where was the planning board? The building is in a historic district and changes like this need to be reviewed, wouldn't you think? Even to just "rubber stamp" them, which seems to be all they do? How could even that crowd have let this happen? I think their collective eye must have been off the ball because of the Shoreland District business - but there's no excuse whatsoever, in my mind, for such a lapse.

I'm sick of this kind of thing happening to my town. Aesthetics ARE important. Planning board members are supposed to be thoughtful stewards yet example after example is piling up that shows none of them are really up to the job. Burning out? Don't whine about your volunteer work being unappreciated, just resign, please, while there's still some part of Blue Hill you haven't wrecked!

Wow! One of the funniest posts I have read in this forum for a long time. Sounds like a post typically written by someone who doesn't live here, has no real relationship with here, and feels somehow empowered to pontificate about everything because everything should be the way it is under whatever rock he or she hides under most of the time.

The fact is that there is NO historic district in Blue Hill. What you see is what you get and if it changes somehow, what you get is what you will see.

What do you think the planning board would necessarily have to do with a minor restoration of an existing building? I would bet that there was no necessity to present any plan to the planning board in this case, and all that had to be done was take out a building permit and get to work. This wasn't NEW construction, but repairs and maintenance.

And lest you wonder, Blue Hill has no building ordinances, and no other ordinances that govern WHAT is built, aside from the Shoreland Zone ordinance which is mandated by the state of Maine. The only ordinance that would have anything to do with the maintenance and repair of a building would only apply if the changes to the building increase the taxable value of the building by more than $250, and I doubt that repairs and restoration would even require being permitted in this way.

As far as "Blue Hill" allowing it, I will suggest that you should learn a bit about what the town and the townspeople can and cannot do and not do in regulating private enterprise. I don't believe the Legion Hall is on the National Register of Historic Places. Not even the Pason Fischer House is on the National Register. The board of trustees of the Legion Hall can do whatever they wish, and I am sure that they did whatever they could afford to do to the building. That you might think it is wrong or ugly speaks only to your sense of taste and preference but in no way is appropriate to lambaste the efforts of people who are probably working under rather severe budgetary restraints.

The American Legion is not a great holy order. As a veteran I appreciate the work that they do. I am pleased to see that this old Legion Hall is not being torn down and replaced by something else. I am grateful that they managed to raise the funds needed to preserve it, and whether or not it is a faithful restoration or renovation isn't any of my business.

I am one of those odd people who moved to Blue Hill some years ago, and began the renovation/restoration of one of Blue Hill's more prominent properties. While some of the changes that I had to make to the property to continue it to be safe to the passersby were not pleasing to some, the end result of the restoration is that an antique presence in the town of Blue Hill remains today, and will remain into the future.

I think I made a contribution to the town's downtown. I think the Legion Hall renovation is a contribution to the town also, and suggest that you learn a bit more about how and what was done before launching a baseless and irresponsible attack on persons and actions about which you know nothing.

[Maineah]

Where is Blue Hill?

[Northern Maine Land Man]

Near Surry.

[Maineah]

Originally Posted by Northern Maine Land Man

Near Surry.

Thanks .......How long of a drive is it from say, Camden to Blue Hill?

[contented]

all i know is it's definitely off island.