'Kennebec Highlands' proposal gets a boost from state panel

By DAN McGILLVRAY, Special to the Kennebec Journal
 

AUGUSTA - The state has taken a giant step toward buying a 1,047-acre tract in Vienna and Rome that would remain undeveloped and open for public access.

The parcel, which includes about 1,800 feet on the west shore of Long Pond, was selected by the Land for Maine's Future Board on Wednesday as one of 14 proposals that now will enter a round of appraisals and purchase negotiations. The board, which also reviewed 39 other land projects during the past six months, has $3 million to spend.

"I think the board recognized this area in the Belgrade Lakes as a focus area for recreation. The area doesn't have a tremendous amount of public land," said Mark DesMeules of the State Planning Office and director of the 11-member board.

Except for a handful of state-owned boat launching sites, there is limited public access to the numerous lakes and ponds in the region around Belgrade, Rome, Vienna and Mount Vernon.

The "Kennebec Highlands" proposal initially was submitted as a 6,100-acre king-sized chunk of contiguous land in Rome, Vienna, New Sharon and Mount Vernon. The phase one plan approved for negotiations with the current landowners contains 1,047 acres, including 1,300-foot McGaffey Mountain -Kennebec County's highest peak.

"This is really good news and it's going to give us a lot of credibility and a real boost," said Dennis Phillips of Rome, president of the Belgrade Regional Conservation Alliance. The alliance submitted the plan to the state board last summer.

DesMeules said closing the deal to buy the land could take from six months to two years. He also said he and a board member will meet with local residents who may have questions about the purchase proposal.

Selectman Al Raedle of Vienna said some residents have expressed concerns about the possibility of lost tax revenues if the land is owned by the state.

"Personally, I'm pleased with this but we have questions about how it will affect the town. Some residents may be concerned that since no houses will be built on the land, we'll lose tax money," he explained.

Phillips said the alliance, which would manage the mostly wooded tract with help from the state Bureau of Public Lands, intends to fund a "stewardship account" that would reimburse Vienna and Rome for lost land taxes.

"That's part of our concept," he said. Nearly all the land is in tree growth, which generates fewer tax dollars for towns.

Another part of the agreement with the state calls for the 100-member alliance to contribute money toward purchasing the land. Phillips said six privately owned parcels are within the phase one section of the plan, and 13 parcels are located in the larger phase two plan.

"We're going to start getting organized with fund raising. The hardest part of this thing yet is out there," he added.

Phillips said that all owners of land within the 6,100-acre tract originally submitted to the board are aware of the proposal. The alliance will speak with those owners during the appraisal and negotiation process because the phase two plan likely will be submitted to the state board for funding at a later date.

Gov. Angus King and several legislators have introduced bills this legislative session to fund the Land for Maine's Future Board for more purchases in coming years. Many proposals set aside by the board this week are expected to be considered again.

Phillips said the alliance wants to raise $300,000 to $400,000.

"Hopefully, the people are still willing sellers," he said. Several parcels in the phase one section are on the market.

If the purchases are completed as envisioned by DesMeules and Phillips, the "Kennebec Highlands" area will essentially remain in its present state.

"This will not be a state park. It will be open land for low-impact recreation. The bottom line is we want to keep the land like it is now," said Phillips.

Activities such as hunting, fishing, hiking, snowmobiling, cross-county skiing and bird watching will be allowed on the property, he explained.

DesMeules said the amount of land in the phase one tract of 1,047 acres roughly corresponds to a 50-50 split in Vienna and Rome.

Ed Hinckley of Vienna, who helped submit a similar local area purchase proposal to the state board in 1988, was in attendance with Phillips to witness the unanimous vote Wednesday that put "Kennebec Highlands" on the fast track.

"We think it's great. We're very fortunate because there were a lot of other great proposals," said Hinckley. The 1988 plan failed to place as a finalist for funding.

Two other sizable land purchase proposals in the Augusta area were not advanced for further consideration by the state board:

• A 385-acre tract around Mount Pisgah in Winthrop that includes Nancy's Bog and a 150-year-old grove of trees below the mountain's summit. The plan was submitted by the Kennebec Land Trust.

• A 145-acre parcel that would have been added to the 4,343-acre Alonzo Garcelon Wildlife Management Area in Augusta, Windsor and Vassalboro. The proposal included 2,250 feet of undeveloped land along Spectacle Pond.

Some other conservation and recreation projects that moved forward are:

• Scarborough Beach in Scarborough, a 56-acre parcel with one-quarter mile of ocean frontage.

• Thorne Head in Bath, a 97-acre peninsula with one-half mile of frontage on the Kennebec River.

• Nicatous and West Lakes in Hancock County, a 22,276-acre tract with 30 miles of lake frontage.