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Updated: Wednesday, October 30, 2002 11:45 AM

Branch Pond Association Newsletters Home
Winter 1991 Newsletter

Topics:
Sailing Races And Regatta 1991
Watershed Management Plan
Shoreland Zoning

Sailing Races And Regatta 1991

Commodore Paul Wight sends word from the sunny south as follows:

The Branch Pond Association will sponsor its seventh annual season of sailboat races. The first race will be a Polish race, held on the Fourth of July. It will begin at, 2:00 PM in the usual manner and at some point during the race a gun will be fired and everyone will reverse course and return to the starting line.

After the race everyone will proceed to Commodore Wight-'s cottage for refreshments. Further races will be held each Sunday with the final race on August 11th.

Watershed Management Plan

A preliminary Watershed Management Plan to control runoff into Branch Pond was presented at a workshop in late January. The plan was produced by Civil Engineering Services of Brewer and would require residents within the watershed area to demonstrate control of runoff from gardens or any new construction in the area.

The area was defined as follows:

Across Dollard's Hill and Watt's Hill at the lower end of the lake along route IA north from the Old Bangor Road to Wilson's Corner, then the high ground west as far as Peaked Mountain and then south along the hilltops of Orland and across the Happytown Road.

Many of the orchards and blueberry fields would be in jeopardy if the plan were adopted. Fields of greater than half an acre would not be permitted within the watershed. Soil could not be tilled within 250 feet of the high water line.

Much concern was expressed during the workshop. A second meeting has been scheduled for late February.

Shoreland Zoning

As reported in the Fall newsletter, the Maine Shoreland Zoning guidelines are due to be added to local. ordinances by December 31,1991. Judy McGeorge has been attending the Ellsworth meetings of the Planning Board which has begun work or, the set of proposed ordinances for Ellsworth and Branch Pond in particular. It appears to Judy that the Planning Board is moving quickly to establish the proposal for presentation to the City Council in April or May. This would make it- possible for the City to have the new ordinances in place before the summer season rolls around. Judy reports that it appears that several members of the planning board have applications pending to beat the 100 foot setback requirement. Judy has urged that consideration of the ordinances be extended until summer when residents are able to attend the meetings and add their input.

As a reminder the following regulations will be required by the state.

	A 100 ft buffer between any new building and the edge of any pond or lake larger than 10 acres.
	A 75 foot-protection zone on each side of major streams.
	250 foot protection zones around undeveloped freshwater wetlands that the DEP considers important to wildlife.
	Trees may be cut to only a six foot path width to the shores of lakes & ponds
	Residential lot sizes increased to 40,000 sq ft for new homes adjacent to rivers lakes and streams
	If a non-conforming structure is damaged or destroyed by more than 50% of its market value, it must be repaired or replaced within one year of the issuance of a permit. Reconstruction and/or replacement should comply as closely as possible to water setback provisions.
	No road or driveway construction within the zone except where no alternative is available or to provide access to permitted use.
	No tilling of soil or storing or stockpiling manure within 100 feet of a great pond or river.

The city will be able to impose stricter ordinances if it so desires.