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Bartlett resident urges limits on early-morning parking at Ware Preserve; trail groups offer signage and meeting
Summary
A Bartlett resident told the Selectmen his sleep and health have been disrupted by early-morning parking and activity at the Ware Preserve; representatives of the Granite Backcountry Alliance and Upper Saco Valley Land Trust offered signage, volunteer patrols and a planned meeting to develop longer-term mitigation.
Michael Donovan, a resident and lessee of a property abutting the Ware Preserve, told the Bartlett Selectmen on March 4 that repeated early-morning activity at the preserve9s parking area has left him sleepless and ill.
"I cannot lose any more sleep," Donovan said, describing instances since last September when people allegedly trespassed, dug holes in his yard and used metal detectors. He told the board he has been awakened "at least ten times at 5:00 AM" by people arriving at the preserve and estimated parking activity at "200 to 300 cars per week." Donovan said he has contacted police and his landlords and sought immediate changes, including moving overflow parking and closing access earlier in the morning.
Representatives of the Granite Backcountry Alliance and the Upper Saco Valley Land Trust disputed that the preserve9s managers are acting without regard for neighbors. Drew Zimber of the Granite Backcountry Alliance said community impact is central to the group's mission and that volunteers are stationed at the parking lot to encourage respectful behavior. "We have moved all overflow parking immediately from Tuckerman9s to Ledge Brewing," Zimber said, adding the group would increase signage and online outreach and offered his personal phone number to Donovan.
Selectman Ron Munro told Donovan that the town found no ordinance violations and encouraged negotiation: "People have the right to recreate and there are no ordinances that are being broken," Munro said, urging Donovan to meet with GBA and USVLT to seek a compromise. Selectman Vicki Garland said the town wants to be "good neighbors" but that restricting hours to a strict 9-to-5 schedule was not something she would support.
Staff and group representatives proposed a follow-up meeting to work on practical mitigation before next winter, with Selectmen recommending that the meeting include a police officer. Eric White of the Upper Saco Valley Land Trust said the land trust has been working with Donovan9s landlords on a boundary and survey issue and that the groups would provide documentation of volunteer shifts and parking management practices.
The Selectmen did not direct formal regulatory action, instead encouraging Donovan and the trail groups to meet at the Glen fire station to develop a plan that could include additional signage, berming or other measures. The board noted the limits of Town authority where state or land-trust property is involved and asked staff to facilitate the follow-up meeting.
Next steps: GBA and USVLT agreed to increase signage and online outreach immediately and to meet with Donovan within two weeks to draft a longer-term plan.
