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PCC members voice frustration after Poland Range Road easement work sidelined by mobile-home overlay
Summary
At its May 26 meeting, Pownal Conservation Commission members said time spent negotiating a Poland Range Road conservation easement with RRCT was undercut when the parcel was selected to meet a mobile-home park zoning mandate; members recommended reviewing the zoning language and consulting town staff before pursuing future easements.
Bob Van Milligan said at the May 26 Pownal Conservation Commission meeting that the commission and the Royal River Conservation Trust (RRCT) had spent time on a potential conservation easement for a Poland Range Road parcel only to be told the land was chosen to meet the zoning mandate for the mobile-home park overlay. Van Milligan described the outcome as frustrating and questioned whether the commission should pursue another easement in the near future.
Wellens King suggested the commission speak with Kate Day about how to proceed on future projects, and Marie Wendt recommended the group investigate the exact language of the zoning ordinance to clarify constraints that affected the Poland Range Road parcel. Jonathan Dawson noted that the Maine Trails Bond recently passed, saying it was a busy time in the conservation world and signaling that staff bandwidth and external funding cycles may affect timing and priorities.
The commission did not take a formal vote or direct staff to a specific new action at this meeting. Members agreed on next steps to seek clarification from town staff on the zoning overlay language and to consult with relevant partners before committing to another easement process. The next regular meeting is scheduled for June 23 at 6:30 p.m., where members may report back on any follow-up with town staff.
