Moosehead Lake Region Concept Plan – Terminated July 30, 2020

Zoning Petition ZP 707 B

Last Updated: January 5, 2021

On September 23, 2019, the current owner of the Moosehead Lake Region Concept Plan, Weyerhaeuser, submitted a petition to terminate the concept plan and rezone those lands to Protection and Management subdistricts. Permanent conservation would remain in place on 363,000 acres within the Concept Plan protected by the Moosehead Region Conservation Easement. The Commission’s consideration of the zoning petition to terminate the concept plan (ZP 707-B) is ongoing. Materials relating to the petition will be posted here as they become available.

Date Project Update or Event Additional Information
July 15, 2020 Termination Effective July 30, 2020
July 2, 2020 Amendments to the application
June 30, 2020 Amendments to the application
June 30, 2020 Resource Agency Comment – Maine Natural Areas Program
June 4, 2020 Resource Agency Comment – Maine Geological Survey
May 26, 2020 Resource Agency Comment – Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife
May 15, 2020 Resource Agency Comment – Maine Natural Areas Program
May 13, 2020 Public Comment – Natural Resource Council of Maine
April 1, 2020 Orientation Maps – For Reference Only

Orientation maps

March 20, 2020 Concept Plan Summary Map
March 9, 2020 Amendments to the application
January 30, 2020 Amendments to the application
January 21, 2020 Amendments to the application

Proposed zoning maps

December 13, 2019 Amendments to the application
September 23, 2019 Application materials
September 23, 2019 Cover letter from Weyerhaeuser

Zoning Petition ZP 707

Last Updated: February 11, 2011

This web page is a source of information about the Commission's concept plan program, including the Commission's review criteria and process of evaluating concept plans and details about the Commission's review of Zoning Petition ZP 707, a petition from Plum Creek Maine Timberlands, LLC, and Plum Creek Land Company to rezone approximately 400,00 acres of its ownership in the Moosehead Lake region to a Resource Plan Protection (P-RP) Subdistrict in order to implement a concept plan. The documents on this site are available for downloading in either Microsoft Word or Adobe PDF file format. Many of these documents are also available by postal mail upon request by contacting LUPC's office in Augusta (call 207-287-2631 or e-mail LUPC@maine.gov).

Please note that the Commission is no longer accepting public comments on Zoning Petition ZP 707.

Final Commission Decision

On September 23, 2009, the Land Use Regulation Commission voted unanimously to accept Zoning Petition ZP 707, a petition from Plum Creek Maine Timberlands, LLC, and Plum Creek Land Company to rezone 380,074 acres of its ownership in the Moosehead Lake region to a Resource Plan Protection (P-RP) Subdistrict and make effective the attendant Concept Plan for the Moosehead Lake Region.

On August 4, 2010, the Land Use Regulation Commission approved Zoning Petition 707-A which comprised several mapping, lot description, and other minor corrections to the concept plan. The Commission's original decision on ZP 707 and the final form of the Concept Plan as amended by ZP 707-A may be downloaded from the table, below.

Commission Decision and Final Concept Plan

Commission Decision in the Matter of Zoning Petition ZP 707(PDF, 1.3 MB) - The Commission's September 23, 2009 decision sets forth the basis for the Commission's conclusion that the Concept Plan satisfies all governing review criteria.

Attachment A: Summary Map of the Concept Plan and the Resource Plan Protection (P-RP) Subdistrict (PDF, 5 MB)

Attachment B: Concept Plan for the Moosehead Lake Region (PDF, 112 MB) - The final form of the Concept Plan was approved by the Commission concurrently with its September 23, 2009 decision. The Concept Plan becomes effective on October 8, 2009.

Concept

Plans and the Commission's Criteria for Approval

Concept plans are landowner-created, long-range plans for the development and conservation of a large area. These plans are a clarification of long-term landowner intent that indicate, in a general way, the areas where development is to be focused, the relative density of proposed development, and the means by which significant natural and recreational resources are to be protected. The Commission established the concept plan process as a flexible alternative to traditional subdivision and development regulation, designed to accomplish both public and private objectives. Concept plans are initiated by a landowner and must be approved by the Commission.

The Commission's Comprehensive Land Use Plan describes concept plans in its discussion of the agency's lake management program. Concept plans are implemented by rezoning land to a Resource Plan Protection (P-RP) Subdistrict. Consequently, the key regulatory review criteria for concept plans are the Commission's statutory criteria for rezoning and the Commission's Land Use Districts and Standards. These criteria for approval are described in detail in the various documents listed in the table, below.

Document Title and Description

Links

Comprehensive Land Use Plan - Detailed description of the Commission's "concept plan" process, including purpose, basic requirements, implementation, and plan amendment and termination.

Comprehensive Land Use Plan (HTML)
Refer to Appendix C, pages C-5 through C-7.

Title 12 Land Use Law - The Commission's enabling statute, including review criteria for amendment or adoption of land use district boundaries.

12 M.R.S. (HTML)
Refer to Section 685-A(8-A).

Commission's Land Use Districts and Standards - Detailed description of the Commission's P-RP subdistrict, including a purpose statement, permitted uses, application procedures, and review criteria.

Ch 10: Land Use Districts and Standards (HTML)
Refer to Section 10.23,H (P-RP).

Commission's Rules of Practice and Rules for the Conduct of Public Hearings - Detailed description of the Commission's rules of practice (Chapter 4), including rules for rezoning petitions, when to hold a public hearing, and procedures and time limits for issuing a permit decision; and the Commission's rules for the conduct of public hearing (Chapter 5), including petitioning for intervention, participation by interested persons, and rules for testimony and questions.

Ch 4: Rules of Practice (PDF)
Ch 5: Rules for the Conduct of Public Hearings (PDF)

Resource Protection Plans - A complete list of resource protection plans (P-RP subdistricts) existing within the Commission's jurisdiction, including all concept plans approved by the Commission to date.

Resource Protection Plans (HTML)

The Commission's Review Process for Concept Plans

The major steps of the Commission's review process are as follows:

  • Receipt of initial application. Upon receipt of the initial application, the application materials are made available for public inspection and review.

  • Deficiency review and determination of acceptance of application for processing. The LUPC staff performs an initial application content review and identifies any application deficiencies. The applicant has a chance to submit deficient information, as necessary. The staff then determines whether the application is acceptable to begin the review process.

  • Review of application by Commission staff. The LUPC staff undertakes a detailed review and analysis of the application. This includes meetings with the applicant, state and federal review agencies, and others to clarify issues and request more information as needed. The application is mailed to various state and federal agencies for review and comment. The staff may also engage independent consultants to gather information on issues that staff believes to be necessary and legally relevant.

  • Public hearings scheduled. Once the LUPC staff completes gathering and analyzing information and the application is deemed complete, the Commission begins its formal public hearing process. The public hearing process enables the Commission to gather information and ask questions of the applicant and others who may choose to testify, and allows the applicant and others the opportunity to address the Commission and answer questions. The public hearing process includes posting the proposal to public hearing, providing notice of public hearings in newspapers and to interested parties, deciding on petitions to intervene, holding pre-hearing conferences, and hosting one or more public hearings to gather official public testimony regarding the proposal.

  • Commission decision. After the public hearings, the hearing record remains open for at least 10 days to allow persons to submit written comments, and for at least an additional 7 days for filing rebuttal comments. After that time, the public hearing record may be reopened by the Commission, as necessary. Once the hearing record is closed, the Commission makes a decision on the proposal.

Public Participation

The Commission has provided many opportunities for public scrutiny of the proposed concept plan during the course of its review. A formal public review and comment period was established as part of the Commission's review process, and the Commission hosted four full days of public hearings, in addition to two weeks of party hearings, to gather oral and written testimony from members of the public, intervenors and interested persons about the proposal. The Commission also provided the public with opportunities to comment on amendments to the proposed concept plan. The record for this proceeding closed on August 11, 2009. Thus, the Commission is no longer accepting public comment on Zoning Petition ZP 707.

Timetable of Events

The table, below, lists meetings, public hearings, and other public events related to the review of this proposal. The table also includes project updates as well as links to certain application materials submitted by Plum Creek, pre-filed testimony filed by intervenors and interested persons, and state and federal governmental agency comments. All such documents, including materials which are not posted on this web site, are available for public inspection at LUPC's Augusta office (18 Elkins Ln, Harlow Building - 4th floor, Augusta, Maine). Please contact LUPC's office in Augusta (call 207-287-2631 or e-mail LUPC@maine.gov) for an appointment.

Index of the Administrative Record (MS Word document, updated periodically) - In response to requests from the petitioner and interested parties, an index of the staff administrative record for this petition is being made available to the public. This index of the administrative record contains a LUPC staff summary of all application materials submitted by the petitioner; final analysis from LUPC staff; Freedom of Information Act requests; written correspondence between LUPC, government agencies, interested parties, and/or the petitioner; and other information received from the petitioner. The index does not include public comments (which are available for public viewing in a separate file), non-substantive e-mail correspondence, news articles, documents associated with contracting services, or working drafts of memos or analyses. This index is updated periodically by LUPC staff, as time allows. The index is believed to be complete as of its most recent update and is made available to the public for its convenience. Given the volume of materials, LUPC cannot guarantee its accuracy. All materials listed in this index are available for public inspection at LUPC's Augusta office (18 Elkins Lane, Harlow Building - 4th floor, Augusta, Maine). If you wish to view any of these materials, please contact LUPC's office in Augusta (call 207-287-2631 or e-mail LUPC@maine.gov) for an appointment.

LUPC FTP Site (This information is no longer available on the FTP site. Please contact the webmaster if you are interested in acquiring these documents.)
Electronic copies of certain documents are available for viewing and/or downloading on LUPC's file transfer protocol (FTP) site. Tthe FTP site includes LUPC pre-hearing orders and directives, application materials and pre-filed testimony submitted to LUPC by Plum Creek, GIS data submitted to LUPC by Plum Creek, pre-filed testimony submitted to LUPC by intervenors and interested persons, and governmental review agency comments. Documents are uploaded to this FTP site periodically by LUPC staff, as time allows. All materials posted to the FTP site are also available for public inspection at LUPC's Augusta office (18 Elkins Lane, Harlow Building - 4th floor, Augusta, Maine). If you wish to view any of these materials, please contact LUPC's office in Augusta (call 207-287-2631 or e-mail LUPC@maine.gov) for an appointment.

Plum Creek responses to LUPC staff/consultant requests for additional information.


Date

Project Update or Event

Additional Information
(Note: Due to very large file sizes, some of the documents below may take considerable time to download even with a high-speed internet connection.)

09/23/2009
Commission approves Concept Plan - On September 23, 2009, the Commission cast a unanimous final vote to accept Zoning Petition ZP 707, thereby approving the rezoning of 380,074 acres of land to a Resource Plan Protection (P-RP) Subdistrict and making effective the attendant Concept Plan for the Moosehead Lake Region. The Commission's decision, along with additional materials related to the meeting, may be viewed under "Additional Information" to the right.

Commission Decision in the Matter of Zoning Petition ZP 707 (September 23, 2009) (PDF, 1.3 MB)

Attachment A: Summary Map of the Concept Plan and the Resource Plan Protection (P-RP) Subdistrict (PDF, 1.6 MB)
Attachment B: Concept Plan for the Moosehead Lake Region (PDF, 151 MB)

Commission Meeting Summary (HTML)

09/09/2009
LUPC staff recommends Concept Plan approval - On September 9, 2009, staff to the Commission recommended approval of Plum Creek's Petition to rezone 380,074 acres to a P-RP Subdistrict and make effective the attendant Concept Plan for the Moosehead Lake Region, as amended by the Commission. The staff recommendation may be viewed under "Additional Information" to the right.
Memorandum to Commission (Sep. 9, 2009) (PDF)

Staff Recommendation: Zoning Petition ZP 707 (Sep. 9, 2009)
(PDF)

Attachment B to Staff Recommendation: Concept Plan for the Moosehead Lake Region(PDF)

06/02/2009

Commission holds Deliberations on June 2, 2009 - On June 2, 2009, the Land Use Regulation Commission held one day of further deliberations on Zoning Petition ZP 707. During these deliberations, the Commission determined whether the specific language changes to Plum Creek's Concept Plan proposal, developed by LUPC staff and consultants at the Commission's direction and in light of comments received from members of the public, governmental review agencies, and parties to this proceeding, are acceptable. The staff/consultant recommended revised Concept Plan may be viewed under "Additional Information" to the right.

Concept Plan for the Moosehead Lake Region: LUPC staff/consultant draft for Commission Deliberations (May 22, 2009) (PDF)

04/03/2009

Comments received on draft Concept Plan implementing language - The Commission established 4:00 PM on Friday, April 3, 2009 as the deadline for the filing of written statements by the petitioner Plum Creek, intervenors, interested persons, governmental review agencies and members of the public regarding the draft Concept Plan implementing language developed by LUPC staff and consultants.

Comments received from Plum Creek, intervenors, interested persons, and governmental review agencies have been posted to LUPC's FTP site. Comments received from members of the public are available for viewing at the Augusta office (please call 207-287-2631 to schedule an appointment).

Party and agency comments on Commission-generated amendments to core elements of Plum Creek's Concept Plan proposal

Plum Creek Comments

Intervenor and Interested Person Comments

Review Agency Comments

03/04/2009

LUPC establishes April 3, 2009 deadline for public comments - In October 2008, the Commission preliminarily approved a set of amendments to Plum Creek’s Concept Plan proposal and directed its staff and consultants to develop specific language to implement those amendments ("draft implementing language"). At its March 4, 2009, meeting the Commission posted the documents containing the draft language developed by staff and consultants for public comment. The Commission established 4:00 PM on Friday, April 3, 2009, as the deadline for the filling of written statements by petitioner, intervenors, interested persons, and members of the public regarding the draft implementing language to Zoning Petition ZP 707. The public comment notice and draft documents may be downloaded under "Additional Information" to the right.

Commission Meeting Summary (HTML)
Memorandum to Commission (PDF)
Notice of Public Comment Period (PDF)
Concept Plan for the Moosehead Lake Region: LUPC staff/consultant draft for public comment (March 2, 2009)(PDF)

11/05/2008

LUPC staff provides overview of next phase of Plum Creek's concept plan review - At its November 5, 2008, meeting in Bangor, the Commission's staff provided a brief informational overview of the anticipated process and estimated schedule for the next phase of review of Plum Creek's proposed concept plan, and explained the nature of work involved as part of the so-called "Tier 2" phase.

Commission Meeting Summary (HTML)

10/14/2008

Implementing Parties respond to Commission-generated amendments - At its October 1, 2008, meeting in Bangor, the Commission voted to accept a set of Commission-generated amendments designed to indicate how the Commission would resolve certain core issues presented by the Concept Plan under governing review criteria. The Commission also endorsed the release of a letter to Plum Creek and other parties with implementing roles under the Concept Plan and the Commission-generated amendments, requesting a formal response by October 14th regarding the acceptance of the Concept Plan as modified by the Commission's October 1 amendments. Reponses from the implementing parties to the Commission's letter may be downloaded under "Additional Information" to the right.

Commission's letter to Implementing Parties (PDF, 30 KB)

Responses from Implementing Parties to Commission-generated amendment

10/01/2008

Amendments to core elements of Concept Plan accepted by Commission - At its October 1, 2008, meeting in Bangor, the Commission voted to accept a set of Commission-generated amendments designed to indicate how the Commission would resolve certain core issues presented by the Concept Plan under governing review criteria. The Commission also endorsed the release of a letter to Plum Creek and other parties with implementing roles under the Concept Plan and the Commission-generated amendments, requesting a formal response by October 14th regarding the acceptance of the Concept Plan as modified by the Commission's October 1 amendments. The Commission-generated amendments and letter to implementing parties may be downloaded under "Additional Information" to the right.

Commission Meeting Summary (HTML)

Commission's letter to Implementing Parties (PDF, 30 KB)

Commission-generated amendments (dated October 1, 2008) (PDF, 3 MB)

Comparison of June 4th and October 1st Commission-generated amendments language(PDF, 3.1 MB)

09/23/2008 and 09/24/2008

Commission schedules second round of Deliberative Sessions on September 23-24, 2008 - On September 23-24, 2008, the Land Use Regulation Commission held two days of further deliberations on Zoning Petition ZP 707. During these deliberative sessions, the Commission determined whether it wishes to make any changes to its June 4, 2008, amendments to Plum Creek's proposal, based on comments received from parties and members of the public and additional staff/consultant analysis. On September 16th, staff and consultants to the Commission released certain additional recommendations for addressing the core issues presented by Zoning Petition ZP 707, upon review and consideration of public and party comments. These recommendations may be viewed under "Additional Information" to the right.

Staff/consultant documents for September 23-24 Deliberative Sessions, dated 09/16/2008:

Transmittal memo to Commission (PDF, 45 KB)

Notebook 1: Cross-references to June 4th Commission-generated amendments (PDF, 3.2 MB)

Notebook 2: Discussion and Recommendations (PDF, 1.5 MB)

07/11/2008

Comments received on Commission-generated amendments to Concept Plan - The Commission established 4:00 PM on Friday, July 11, 2008 as the deadline for the filing of written statements by the petitioner Plum Creek, intervenors, interested persons, and members of the public regarding the Commission-generated amendments to Zoning Petition ZP 707.

Comments received from Plum Creek, intervenors, interested persons, and governmental review agencies have been posted to LUPC's FTP site. Comments received from members of the public are available for viewing at the Augusta office (please call 207-287-2631 to schedule an appointment).

Party and agency comments on Commission-generated amendments to core elements of Plum Creek's Concept Plan proposal:

Plum Creek Comments

Intervenor and Interested Person Comments

Review Agency Comments

06/04/2008

Commission-generated amendments to Concept Plan posted for public comment - At its June 4, 2008, meeting in Orono, the Commission posted for public comment a write-up of its May 27-28, 2008 Deliberative Sessions, which captures a set of Commission-generated amendments designed to indicate how the Commission would resolve certain core issues presented by the Concept Plan under governing review criteria.

The Commission has established 4:00 PM on Friday, July 11, 2008 as the deadline for the filing of written statements by petitioner, intervenors, interested persons, and members of the public regarding the Commission-generated amendments to Zoning Petition ZP 707. Written comments may be sent to the Land Use Regulation Commission, 22 State House Station, Augusta, Maine, 04333-0022. Comments may also be submitted via e-mail to LUPC@maine.gov.

A copy of the Commission-generated amendments, along with a link to the meeting agenda, a memorandum to the Commission, a transmittal memorandum to interested parties, and a public comment notice, may be viewed under "Additional Information" to the right.

Commission Meeting Summary (HTML)

Public Comment Notice (PDF, 81 KB)

Memoranda to the Commission and Interested Parties (PDF, 81 KB)

Commission-generated amendments to core elements of Plum Creek's Concept Plan proposal:

Amendments - Text Only (PDF, 511 KB)

Amendments - Complete (PDF, 4.5 MB)

Amendments - Compared to

05/27/2008 and
05/28/2008

Commission holds Deliberative Sessions on May 27-28, 2008 - On May 27 and 28, 2008, the Land Use Regulation Commission held two days of preliminary deliberations on Zoning Petition ZP 707. During the deliberative sessions, the Commissioners discussed and considered whether and how the proposed Concept Plan could be amended to address any deficiencies the Commission identified under the statutory and regulatory criteria for approval (12 M.R.S.A., Section 685-A (8-A) and Section 10.23, H of the Commissions rules). On May 20th, staff and consultants to the Commission released their recommendations for addressing the core issues presented by Zoning Petition ZP 707. During the deliberative sessions, staff/consultants generally sought guidance from the Commission on what amendments to the proposed Concept Plan, if any, the Commission determines are necessary to satisfy governing review criteria and specifically sought the Commission’s reactions to each of the recommendations. A copy of the Deliberative Sessions agenda, as well as the staff/consultant recommendations, may be viewed under "Additional Information" to the right.

Agenda for May 27-28 Deliberative Sessions (PDF, 113 KB)

Staff/Consultant Recommendations for May 27-28 Deliberative Sessions, dated 05/20/2008:

Recommendations - Text Only (PDF, 514 KB)

Recommendations - Complete (PDF, 5.3 MB

Audio MP3 files of May 27-28 Deliberative Sessions:

AM Session 1 - May 27th
AM Session 2 - May 27th
AM Session 3 - May 27th
AM Session 4 - May 27th
PM Session 1 - May 27th
PM Session 2 - May 27th

AM Session 1- May 28th

AM Session 2 - May 28th
PM Session 1- May 28th
PM Session 2 - May 28th
PM Session 3 - May 28th
PM Session 4 - May 28th

Transcript of May 27-28 Deliberative Sessions:

Complete Transcript (PDF, 1.7 MB)
May 27th Excerpts (PDF, 307 KB)
May 28th Excerpts (PDF, 331 KB)
Index (PDF, 1.1 MB)

05/07/2008

LUPC staff proposes agenda for the Commission's May 27-28, 2008, deliberative sessions, and a post-deliberations process - A LUPC staff recommendation regarding the agenda for the May 27-28 deliberative sessions and the Commission's decision-making process following the deliberative sessions was presented to the Commission at its May 7, 2008, meeting in Orono. A copy of the staff recommendation adopted by the Commission, along with a link to the meeting agenda, may be viewed under "Additional Information" to the right.

Commission Meeting Summary (HTML)

Staff recommendation regarding deliberative sessions agenda and post-deliberations process, dated 04/28/2008 (PDF, 113 KB)

03/05/2008

LUPC establishes March 14, 2008 deadline for public comments; staff recommends post-hearing schedule and process - The Land Use Regulation Commission established 5:00 PM on Friday, March 14, 2008 as the deadline for the filing of written statements by members of the public regarding Plum Creek’s proposed concept plan, as last amended on October 26, 2007. The March 14 deadline did not constitute final closure of the hearing record. To the extent that the Commission considers amendments to the proposed concept plan, those amendments will be posted for additional public comment. A LUPC staff recommendation regarding the post-hearing process and schedule in the matter of Zoning Petition ZP 707 was presented to the Commission for its consideration on Wednesday, March 5, 2008. A copy of the staff recommendation to the Commission pertaining to this matter, along with a link to the meeting agenda, may be viewed under "Additional Information" to the right.

Commission Meeting Summary (HTML)

Memo to interested parties and staff recommendation regarding post-hearing schedule (PDF, 54 KB)


11/07/2007

LUPC concludes first phase of Plum Creek hearings and schedules second phase starting January 15, 2008 - On December 15, 2007, the Commission concluded the first phase of public hearings in the matter of LUPC Zoning Petition ZP 707, which included three days of public sessions in Greenville, Augusta and Portland and two weeks of party sessions in Augusta. On January 15, 2008, the Commission will continue public hearings in this matter. The complete January 2008 hearing schedule was as follows:

Public Sessions (10:00 AM – 1:00 PM and 2:00 PM – 6:00 PM)

Members of the public are welcome to attend and/or participate in any of the four scheduled public sessions. Any person wishing to testify before the Commission is urged to read the rules governing public testimony before LUPC (available for downloading under "Additional Information" to the right).

  • Saturday, January 19, 2008 (Greenville High School Auditorium, 130 Pritham Ave, Greenville)

Party Sessions (8:30 AM – 5:30 PM)

Party sessions are devoted to LUPC and formal parties to the hearings asking questions of witnesses for the applicant and the formal parties, and of governmental agencies. Members of the public may attend these sessions, but may not participate.

  • January 15-18 and January 22-25, 2008 (St. Paul Center, 136 State Street, Augusta)
Additional hearing details are available for downloading under "Additional Information" to the right.

Continuation of Public Hearing Notice (PDF, 34 KB)

Rules Governing Public Hearing Testimony (PDF, 38 KB)




11/07/2007

LUPC schedules Plum Creek hearings starting December 1, 2007 - On November 7, the Commission voted to accept the LUPC staff recommendation to begin public hearings in the matter of Zoning Petition ZP 707 on Saturday, December 1, 2007. The complete hearing schedule was established as follows:

Public Sessions (10:00 AM – 1:00 PM and 2:00 PM – 6:00 PM)

Members of the public are welcome to attend and/or participate in any of the four scheduled public sessions. Any person wishing to testify before the Commission is urged to read the rules governing public testimony before LUPC (available for downloading under "Additional Information" to the right).

  1. Saturday, December 1, 2007 (Greenville High School Auditorium, 130 Pritham Ave, Greenville)
  2. Sunday, December 2, 2007 (Augusta Civic Center, 79 Community Dr, Augusta)
  3. Saturday, December 15, 2007 (Holiday Inn By the Bay, 88 Spring St, Portland)
  4. Sunday, December 16, 2007 (Greenville High School Auditorium, 130 Pritham Ave, Greenville) -- NOTE: This public session has been rescheduled for Saturday, January 19, 2008.

Party Sessions (9:00 AM – 5:30 PM)

Party sessions are devoted to LUPC and formal parties to the hearings asking questions of witnesses for the applicant and the formal parties, and of governmental agencies. Members of the public may attend these sessions, but may not participate.

  • December 3-7 and December 10-14, 2007 (St. Paul Center, 136 State Street, Augusta – please note the recent change in venue for the party sessions)
  • January 14–18 and January 22-25, 2008 (St. Paul Center, 136 State Street, Augusta)
A copy of the Commission decision document and additional hearing details are available for downloading under additional information to the right.

Commission Meeting Summary (HTML)

Commission Decision, dated 11/07/2007 (PDF, 59 KB)
Public Hearing Notice (PDF, 22 KB) Please note the change in venue for the party sessions.

Rules Governing Public Hearing Testimony (PDF, 38 KB)

10/26/2007

Plum Creek files plan amendments - Plum Creek recently file certain changes to its concept plan proposal for the Moosehead Lake region (Zoning Petition ZP 707). To view these modifications, including a revised concept plan integrating these modifications, follow the link under additional information to the right.

Revised Integrated Concept Plan (PDF)

10/11/2007

LUPC postpones Plum Creek hearings; Plum Creek announces changes to its proposal - Plum Creek recently announced that it plans to make certain changes to its concept plan proposal for the Moosehead Lake region (Zoning Petition ZP 707). An October 5, 2007, letter from Plum Creek, in which changes to the proposal are discussed, can be viewed under "additional information" to the right. On October 10, 2007, the Commission voted to postpone hearings on the Plum Creek proposal, which previously had been scheduled for November 2007. The Commission requested that LUPC staff recommend a revised hearing schedule at its next meeting on November 7, 2007.

Letter from Plum Creek , dated 10/05/2007 (PDF, 689 KB)


10/10/2007

LUPC staff and Office of Attorney General recommend denial of Motion to Dismiss Plum Creek petition - A joint LUPC staff and Office of Attorney General recommendation regarding RESTORE: The North Woods and Forest Ecology Network's Motion to Dismiss Zoning Petition ZP 707 on the grounds that LUPC lacks the statutory authority to approve it will be presented to the Commission for its consideration on Wednesday, October 10, 2007. A copy of the recommendation to the Commission pertaining to this matter, along with further details about the Commission meeting, may be viewed under "Additional Information" to the right.

Commission Meeting Summary (HTML)

Recommendation, dated 10/01/2007 (PDF, 95 KB)


09/05/2007

LUPC staff recommends schedule and venue for Plum Creek public hearings - A LUPC staff recommendation regarding the public hearing schedule and venue in the matter of Zoning Petition ZP 707 was presented to the Commission for its consideration on Wednesday, September 5, 2007. A copy of the staff recommendation to the Commission pertaining to this matter, along with a summary of the amended Commission decision, may be viewed under "Additional Information" to the right.

Commission Meeting Summary (HTML)

Staff Recommendation, dated 08/29/2007 (PDF, 44 KB)

Amended Commission Decision , dated 09/05/2007
(PDF, 31 KB)

08/02/2007 - 08/28/2007

Commission Chair issues procedural orders - The Chair of the Commission has issued several Pre-hearing Directives and the First Procedural Order in the matter of Zoning Petition ZP 707. You may download these and any future Orders or Directives from the Chair from LUPC's FTP site.

Pre-hearing Directives and Procedural Orders.

07/16/2007 - 08/13/2007

Plum Creek responds to LUPC requests for additional information - Plum Creek has filed with LUPC materials in response to LUPC staff/consultant requests for additional information. If you have a high-speed internet connection, you may download most of Plum Creek's 2007 application materials and Plum Creek's responses to LUPC staff/consultants' additional information requests from LUPC's FTP site. All application materials, including materials which are not posted on this web site or LUPC's FTP site, are available for public inspection at LUPC's Augusta office (18 Elkins Ln, Harlow Building - 4th floor, Augusta, Maine). Please contact LUPC's office in Augusta (call 207-287-2631 or e-mail LUPC@maine.gov) for an appointment.
07/13/2007

Commission Chair hosts first pre-hearing conference - On July 13th, the Chair of the Commission held the first pre-hearing conference in the matter of Zoning Petition ZP 707 in order to provide parties with basic information about the hearing process and its requirements. A second conference is tentatively scheduled for August 3, 2007. A copy of the agenda for the July 13, 2007 pre-hearing conference, as well as two documents handed out by LUPC at the conference, may be viewed under "Additional Information" to the right.

First Pre-Hearing Conference Agenda, dated 06/27/2007 (PDF, 36 KB)

Potential Issues and Applicable Legal Criteria Pertaining to Zoning Petition ZP 707, dated 07/13/2007 (PDF, 243 KB)

Potential Issues and Applicable Legal Criteria Pertaining to Zoning Petition ZP 707, dated 07/13/2007, without cover letter (MS Word, 143 KB)

Proposed Identification of Intervenors and Interested Persons and Consolidated Groupings of Parties, dated 07/13/2007 (PDF, 20 KB)

06/28/2007

LUPC staff recommends conditional approval of Petitions to Intervene and schedules first pre-hearing conference - At the July 11, 2007 Commission meeting, the LUPC staff recommended conditional approval of the 32 Petitions to Intervene received by LUPC and delegation to the Chair of the Commission the authority to determine which of the 32 petitioning parties should be granted full Intervenor status and which should be granted Interested Person status. The staff also scheduled a first pre-hearing conference for July 13, 2007 in order to provide parties with basic information about the hearing process and its requirements. A copy of the staff recommendation to the Commission pertaining to this matter may be viewed under "Additional Information" to the right.

Commission Meeting Summary (HTML)

Staff Recommendation, dated 06/27/2007 (PDF, 39 KB)

06/01/2007

LUPC staff to present tentative pre-hearing schedule at June 6th Commission Meeting - At the June 6, 2007 Commission meeting, the LUPC staff discussed with the Commission a provisional schedule for certain pre-hearing actions pertaining to Plum Creek's amended Petition. Specifically, the staff sought informal feedback from the Commission with respect to the staff's suggested pre-hearing schedule. A copy of the staff memo to the Commission pertaining to this matter, which includes the tentative pre-hearing schedule, may be viewed under "Additional Information" to the right.

Commission Meeting Summary (HTML)

Memo to Commission, dated 05/25/2007 (PDF, 34 KB)

05/18/2007

LUPC staff conditionally accepts Plum Creek's application for processing and sets deadline for intervenor petitions - Based on Plum Creek's 04/27/2007 submittal of amendments to its Petition for Rezoning, LUPC staff conditionally accepted Plum Creek's petition for processing, subject to the receipt of certain materials by June 1, 2007. "Acceptable for processing" means that the Commission's staff has sufficient information to understand the proposal and to begin its formal application review. Concurrent with the conditional acceptance for processing of Plum Creek's petition, the chair of the Commission established a June 20, 2007 deadline for submitting to LUPC any petition for intervention. A copy of the correspondence from LUPC staff to Plum Creek on this matter, a memo to interested parties, and the notice establishing the intervenor petition deadline may be viewed under "Additional Information" to the right.

Letter to Plum Creek , dated 05/18/2007 (PDF, 32 KB)

Memo to Interested Parties, dated 05/18/2007 (PDF, 662 KB)

Notice of Public Hearing, establishing intervenor petition deadline (PDF, 28 KB)

 

04/27/2007

Plum Creek files amended Petition for Rezoning - Superseded by 10/26/2007 version. On April 27, 2007, Plum Creek submitted to LUPC revisions to its Petition for Rezoning to implement a concept plan in the Moosehead Lake region. The Petition amendments were made available for public inspection by the first week of May as follows:

1. If you have a high-speed internet connection, you may download the application from this web site. Select the links to the right, under "Additional Information".

2. You may request an electronic copy of the application on CD from the Commission's Augusta office (call 207-287-2631 or e-mail your name and address to LUPC@maine.gov).

Note: If you received a CD of Plum Creek's previous application from LUPC (dated April 2005 or April 2006), you do not need to request a new CD -- we will automatically mail you a new CD.

3. You may purchase a paper copy of the application from the following commercial print shop: Xpress Copy - 144 Fore Street, Portland (call toll free 1-888-775-2444).

4. You may view a paper copy of the new application at the following locations:

LUPC Augusta Office
18 Elkins Lane, Harlow Building - 4th floor, Augusta
By appointment only. Call 207-287-2631

Beaver Cove Town Office
795 Lily Bay Road - Unit 101, Beaver Cove
Call 207-695-9020

Greenville Town Office
Minden Street, Greenville
Call 207-695-2421

Jackman Town Office
369 Main Street, Jackman
Call 207-668-2111

Rockwood Post Office
62 Village Road, Rockwood
Call 207-534-2277

Shaw Public Library
North Main Street, Greenville
Call 207-695-3579

View LUPC's letter to interested parties
Letter to Interested Parties(PDF, 50 KB)

Download the amended Petition for Rezoning
Received 04/27/2007.Superseded by 10/26/2007 version.

Volume 1: Petition for Rezoning (PDF, 107.8 MB)
Volume 2: Plan Description (PDF, 62.5 MB)
Volume 3: Appendices (PDF, 4.5 MB)

Download GIS data
Received 04/27/2007. GIS shapefiles of the proposed concept plan summary map details, related to Plum Creek's amended Petition for Rezoning, may be downloaded from LUPC's FTP site.

Download additional submittals
Received 04/27/2007. Note: Due to very large file size, some of these documents may take considerable time to download even with a high-speed internet connection.

Redline of Balance Conservation Easement (PDF)
Redline of Moosehead Legacy Easement (PDF)
Redline of Land Use Zones- Standards: TOC (PDF)
Redline of Land Use Zones- Standards: Sub-Ch 1 (PDF)
Redline of Land Use Zones- Standards: Sub-Ch 2 (PDF)
Redline of Land Use Zones- Standards: Sub-Ch 3 (PDF)

01/18/2007

Plum Creek public hearings postponed - On January 17, 2007, LUPC received a letter from Plum Creek's legal counsel stating that Plum Creek is contemplating amending its proposed concept plan for the Moosehead Lake region and requesting that public hearings be rescheduled. Based on this information, LUPC suspended the schedule for public hearings related to this proposal, and the February 14, 2007, deadline for seeking intervenor status was cancelled.

Memo to Interested Parties (PDF, 27 KB)

Letter from Plum Creek, dated 01/17/2007 (PDF, 108 KB)

Change of Public Hearing Notice (PDF, 27 KB)

01/03/2007

LUPC posts Plum Creek's application to public hearing - At its January 2007 meeting, the Commission authorized the scheduling of public hearings on Plum Creek's proposal. At the meeting, LUPC staff provided a tentative schedule to facilitate preparations for public hearings.

A copy of the staff memo to the Commission and the public hearing notice may be viewed under "Additional Information" to the right.

Commission Meeting Summary (HTML)

Memo to Commission, dated 12/22/2006 (MS Word, 58 KB)

Public Hearing Notice (MS Word, 55 KB)

11/28/2006

LUPC staff accepts Plum Creek's application for processing- Based on Plum Creek's 11/21/2006 submittal of the purchase and sale agreement that governs the sale by Plum Creek and acquisition by third parties of certain lands or rights in land located within the proposed concept plan boundaries (see "Additional Information" to the right), LUPC staff accepted Plum Creek's application for processing. "Acceptable for processing" means that the Commission's staff has sufficient information to understand the proposal and to begin its formal application review.

Memo to Interested Parties, dated 11/28/2006 (PDF, 662 KB)

Conservation Framework Purchase & Sale Agreement (PDF, 8.7 MB) - received 11/21/2006.

October - November 2006

Plum Creek responds to LUPC information requests - Plum Creek submitted to LUPC additional information related to the petition for rezoning received by LUPC on 04/27/2006, in response to LUPC's letter to Plum Creek dated 09/21/2006. If you have a high-speed internet connection, you may download some of the submitted materials from this web site by selecting the links under "Additional Information" to the right. All application materials, including materials which are not posted on this web site, are available for public inspection at LUPC's Augusta office (18 Elkins Ln, Harlow Building - 4th floor, Augusta, Maine). Please contact LUPC's office in Augusta (call 207-287-2631 or e-mail LUPC@maine.gov) for an appointment.

Rationale for model easement deviations - Moosehead Legacy (PDF, 112 KB) - received 10/06/2006.

Rationale for model easement deviations - Moosehead-Roach River (PDF, 112 KB) - received 10/06/2006.

Resort envelope legal authority (PDF, 6 KB) - received 10/06/2006.

List of Plum Creek contractor information (PDF, 6 KB) - received 10/06/2006.

Road and utility line extensions - detail maps (PDF, 27 MB) - received 10/06/2006.

Revised detail maps (PDF, 27 MB) - received 10/18/2006. Related GIS data may be downloaded from LUPC's FTP site .

09/21/2006

LUPC summarizes status of application deficiencies, information requests and anticipated LUPC project review timeline - The Commission's staff has been reviewing additional application materials submitted by Plum Creek. The attached letter, dated 09/21/2006, summarizes the status of application deficiencies, the status of additional information requests LUPC has made to Plum Creek and LUPC's anticipated timeline for the review of this project.

Letter to Plum Creek, dated 09/21/2006 (PDF, 662 KB)

June - August 2006

Plum Creek submits additional application materials - Superseded by 10/26/2007 version. Plum Creek submitted to LUPC additional application materials related to the petition for rezoning received by LUPC on 04/27/2006. If you have a high-speed internet connection, you may download some of the submitted application materials from this web site by selecting one of the links under "Additional Information" to the right. All application materials, including materials which are not posted on this web site, are available for public inspection at LUPC's Augusta office (18 Elkins Ln, Harlow Building - 4th floor, Augusta, Maine). Please contact LUPC's office in Augusta (call 207-287-2631 or e-mail LUPC@maine.gov) for an appointment.

Letter from Plum Creek, including information regarding proposed resorts(PDF, 831 KB) - received 07/31/2006.

Redlined version of proposed Land Use Standards (MS Word, 724 KB) - received 07/31/2006.

Letter from Plum Creek, including information regarding proposed affordable housing (MS Word, 23 KB) - received 08/18/2006.

Appendix B: Cover Letter to EMDC report (PDF, 53 KB) - received 08/18/2006.

Appendix B: EMDC report (PDF, 55 MB) - received 08/18/2006.

Appendix F: Draft form of Ski Trail Easement - Moosehead to Mahoosucs (MS Word, 871 KB) - received 08/18/2006. Appendix H: Form of Moosehead-Roach River Easement (MS Word, 141 KB)- received 08/18/2006. Appendix H: Form of Moosehead-Roach River Easement - Compared against LUPC's model easement (MS Word, 455 KB)- received 08/18/2006.

Appendix I: Form of Moosehead Legacy Easement (MS Word, 136 KB) - received 08/18/2006.

Appendix I: Form of Moosehead Legacy Easement- Compared against LUPC's model easement (MS Word, 444 KB) - received 08/18/2006.

Appendix P: Legal Standards (PDF, 1.3 MB) - received 06/29/2006 (08/24/2006 in electronic format).

Appendix R: Erosion and Sedimentation Control Plan for Roadway Construction (PDF, 206 KB) - received 06/29/2006 (08/24/2006 in electronic format).

06/29/2006

LUPC identifies deficiencies within Plum Creek's petition - The Commission's staff has been reviewing the rezoning petition submitted by Plum Creek in April 2006 and additional materials submitted in May 2006. The attached letter, dated 06/29/2006, describes some of the deficiencies that have been identified to date within the submitted materials.

Letter to Plum Creek regarding identification of application deficiencies (PDF, 662 KB)

06/26/2006

LUPC responds to inquiries regarding reference to Plum Creek's proposed Conservation Framework within its petition.

Letter regarding reference to the Conservation Framework within Plum Creek's application (PDF, 377 KB)

04/27/2006

New application materials submitted-Superseded by 10/26/2007 version. Plum Creek submitted a new petition for rezoning to implement a concept plan in the Moosehead Lake region. The application will be made available for public inspection by the first week of May. 

HOW TO VIEW THE APPLICATION

1. If you have a high-speed internet connection, you may download the application from this web site. Select the links to the right, under "Additional Information".

2. You may request an electronic copy of the application on CD from the Commission's Augusta office (call 207-287-2631 or e-mail your name and address to LUPC@maine.gov

Note: If you received a CD of Plum Creek's previous application from LUPC (dated April 2005), you do not need to request a new CD -- we will automatically mail you a new CD.

3. You may purchase a paper copy of the application from the following commercial print shop: Xpress Copy - 144 Fore Street, Portland (call toll free 1-888-775-2444).

4. You may view a paper copy of the new application at the following locations:

LUPC Augusta Office
18 Elkins Lane, Harlow Building - 4th floor, Augusta
By appointment only. Call 207-287-2631

Beaver Cove Town Office
795 Lily Bay Road - Unit 101, Beaver Cove
Call 207-695-9020

Greenville Town Office
Minden Street, Greenville
Call 207-695-2421

Jackman Town Office
369 Main Street, Jackman
Call 207-668-2111

Rockwood Post Office
62 Village Road, Rockwood
Call 207-534-2277

Shaw Public Library
North Main Street, Greenville
Call 207-695-3579

Letter to Interested Parties
(PDF, 50 KB)

Download the proposed plan:Superseded by 10/26/2007 version.

Volume 1: Petition for Rezoning (PDF, 90.4 MB)

Volume 2: Plan Description
(PDF, 164.8 MB)

Volumes 3-4: Appendices
(PDF, 110.4 MB)

10/31/2005

LUPC makes available issues scoping summary - In August 2005, LUPC staff held four “issues scoping sessions” where members of the public were provided the opportunity to present issues that LUPC should consider in its review of this proposal. Since these sessions, LUPC staff have reviewed comments presented at the scoping sessions and comments submitted in writing, and then created a document that compiles and summarizes the issues.

Summary of Issues (PDF, 184KB)

08/04/2005

Additional information regarding August scoping sessions - Last week, LUPC staff announced a series of issues scoping sessions to be held in mid-August in the Greenville, Rockwood, Jackman, and Augusta areas (see 07/22/2005 item below). In preparation for these sessions, LUPC’s review team has prepared the attached document to provide members of the public with additional information regarding the purpose and format of the sessions, ways to share your thoughts during and after the sessions, and some examples of the type of issues scoping information LUPC’s review team is seeking from the public.

Additional Information about Upcoming Issues Scoping Sessions (PDF, 172KB)

08/04/2005

LUPC identifies preliminary deficiencies within Plum Creek's petition - The Commission's staff has been reviewing the rezoning petition submitted by Plum Creek in April 2005. The attached letter, dated 07/29/2005, describes some of the deficiencies that have been identified to date within the submitted materials. A correction, dated 08/04/2005 regarding soils survey requirement is also posted.

Letter to Plum Creek regarding preliminary identification of application deficiencies (PDF, 73KB)

Correction to 07/29/2005 letter re: soils information (PDF, 60KB)

07/22/2005

Public scoping sessions scheduled in August - LUPC staff will be hosting four scoping sessions in the Moosehead Lake and Augusta areas so that members of the public may present their views on the issues that LUPC should consider in reviewing the Plum Creek concept plan proposal. The public scoping sessions will be held during the weeks of August 15th and 22nd. Further background information related to these sessions will be posted on this web site after August 5th.

Announcement of Public Scoping Sessions (PDF, 45KB)

07/21/2005

LUPC names review team for Plum Creek's petition - The Commission announced the recent selection of the review team for the Plum Creek concept plan proposal. The team will be led by LUPC staff members Fred Todd and Agnieszka Pinette, with the assistance of Ronald Kreisman and Evan Richert.

Announcement of Review Team Selection (PDF, 28KB)

05/03/2005

Correction to bid opening date for Project Coordinator proposals - The Commission is soliciting bids from consulting firms experienced in land use planning, facilitation and consulting to assist the agency as it processes the Plum Creek concept plan application. Sealed proposals will be accepted by the Division of Purchases until 2:00 PM on Monday, May 23, 2005. For details, view the additional information posted in the column to the right.

Request for Proposals (PDF, 68KB)
BP54 - Agreement to Purchase Services (PDF, 71KB)
Responses to Bidder Questions 04/29/05 (PDF, 32KB)
Responses to Bidder Questions 05/02/05 (PDF, 31KB)
Responses to Bidder Questions 05/06/05 (PDF, 90KB)

04/22/2005

LUPC is seeking proposals for a Project Coordinator - The Commission is soliciting bids from consulting firms experienced in land use planning, facilitation and consulting to assist the agency as it processes the Plum Creek concept plan application. An update to this notice was made on 05/02/2005 (see details above).

Request for Proposals (PDF, 68KB)
Superseded by 05/03/2005 version.

04/20/2005

LUPC responds to questions about Plum Creek holding meetings with interested groups - The Commission recently received inquiries regarding whether Plum Creek should host or attend meetings to speak to interested parties about the proposed concept plan while the Commission reviews the proposal. The attached letter summarizes the Commission's position and concerns regarding this issue.

Letter to Plum Creek regarding hosting public meetings (PDF, 57KB)

04/19/2005

Corrected application materials submitted - Superseded by 10/26/2007 version. Upon request from Commission staff, Plum Creek submitted documents to correct certain errors in the application materials that were filed on April 5, 2005.

Summary of Corrections (PDF, 55KB)
Corrected Plan (PDF, 114 MB)
Superseded by 10/26/2007 version.

04/05/2005

Application materials received - Superseded by 10/26/2007 version. The Commission received a petition to rezone roughly 400,000 acres in the Moosehead Lake region in order to implement a concept plan.

Fact Sheet (PDF, 77KB)
Summary Map (JPEG, 213 KB)
Proposed Plan (PDF, 133 MB)
Superseded by 10/26/2007 version.