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LUPC LMF approves funding for conservation, waterfront and access projects; Sears Island consent funds allocated
Summary
The Land Use Planning Commission’s Land Management Fund approved appraisals and funding awards for multiple projects: $155,000 for the Gilman Stream Forest project (plus $12,680 stewardship), $950,000 toward the large Chadborn tree-farm easement, $290,000 for a Cushing public water access acquisition (plus $17,600 stewardship), $352,000 for a Swans Island fish-wharf covenant, correction of two stewardship awards, and use of Sears Island consent-decree funds up to $250,000 toward the Spectre parcel.
The Land Use Planning Commission (LUPC) Land Management Fund board approved a slate of conservation and waterfront awards and several housekeeping motions during its meeting.
• Gilman Stream Forest (Somerset Woods Trustees): staff presented a 184-acre project in East New Portland that includes wetlands, brook-trout habitat and public access. The appraisal oversight committee accepted the appraised value and the board confirmed $155,000 in conservation and recreation funding and $12,680 in LMF stewardship award funds, subject to standard closing conditions. Somerset Woods Trustees’ executive director Jennifer Brockway was present for questions.
• Chadborn (Chad Bore) Tree Farm: the board accepted appraisal findings showing an easement value of $8.9 million for a multi-parcel, 10,734-acre working-forest project. The board approved an LMF contribution of $950,000 toward the total project cost; staff noted substantial match funding from partners.
• Cushing public water access: the town described a two-lot acquisition to establish Cushing’s first public shoreline access. An LMF appraisal for land-only returned $580,000; the board confirmed a $290,000 award from LMF water-access funding and $17,600 in stewardship funds. Austin (harbormaster) described local fundraising and a temporary revolving loan from a nonprofit to cover the appraisal change until grant funds are received.
• Swans Island fish wharf (working waterfront covenant): the board accepted a $1,248,000 market appraisal and a covenant (encumbrance) value of $352,000 for the town-owned landing that serves roughly 75 boats. The board approved awarding $352,000 toward acquisition of the covenant; Department of Marine Resources will hold and monitor the covenant and enforce the right-of-first-refusal mechanism described by staff.
• Sears Island consent-decree funds (Spectre parcel): staff presented a Spectre-parcel acquisition in the Ducktrap watershed and reported that EPA and MDOT had approved the parcel as an eligible use of consent-decree funds. The appraisal oversight committee had adopted a value of $500,000; the board authorized using up to $250,000 (consent-decree balance plus interest) to support purchase and reimburse pre-acquisition costs, subject to LMF and MDOT special conditions.
• Corrections and access grants: the board corrected two stewardship award amounts (Whitten Woods to $25,000 and Whites Marsh Brook to $15,500) after identifying spreadsheet errors and approved $42,370 in access-improvement grant funding for three closed projects (matched one-to-one by recipients).
All motions noted in the transcript were approved by voice or consensus; the record shows no roll-call tallies for individual members in the transcript text. Several town and project representatives addressed the board in support of their projects during public comment and thanked staff for assistance.
What happens next: staff will complete closing steps and verify stewardship matches before disbursement; the board applied standard conditions to each award and delegated final agreement form review to staff and relevant agencies.
