Poland Spring Academy presented plans for a new campus to the Planning Board Tuesday night.

Code Enforcement Officer Arthur Dunlap said the board was presented with a preliminary sketch plan of the multi-phased development that may not be completed at the same time.

He said the academy is planning to move from space leased from Poland Spring Health Institute to a proposed campus on land recently purchased on Bailey Hill Road near Harris Hill Road and to eventually expand from about 100 to about 300 students.

The board tabled the issue and requested the academy’s owner to obtain engineering work and to meet with the Maine Department of Environmental Protection about environmental regulations that may apply.

In another matter, the board provided information to representatives of OMNI Camp (Open Minds and New Ideas) on Worthley Pond about a possible construction of a steel structure and grading for outdoor basketball courts.

– By John Plestina
Poland:

Inspection scheduled

The Planning Board set May 13 for a site visit to consider a proposed subdivision Tuesday night.

The board routinely visits the sites of proposed subdivisions. When they first visited the 14-lot residential subdivision off Route 26 near Highview Drive that Richard Stear is developing there was too much snow at the site.

The proposed development will be considered at the meeting on May 13, which will be held after the site visit.

The Planning Board Tuesday night provided information for Jerry and Jeff Howland about what they can and cannot do in a shoreland zoning district.

The Howlands are considering renovations to two camps on Thompson Lake.

– By John Plestina
Mechanic Falls: Homeowners

given options

The Planning Board agreed with a developer Monday night that homeowners associations in cluster developments should have the option of not participating in communal ownership of park or other common space.

Cluster development is an alternative to normal subdivisions in the town’s land use ordinance. The primary difference from a subdivision is that there is communal ownership of common areas. That is an idea that is not popular in Maine, said Town Manager Dana Lee. With cluster development, homeowners associations are required to be established to maintain roads and commonly owned parks, sports fields and other common areas.

Tom Dubois, a land use consultant, representing developers Jay Bryant and Chris Kimball made the request.

– By John Plestina
Lisbon:

Resolution supports military

Selectmen this week unanimously adopted a resolution expressing their “unequivocal support and appreciation to the brave men and women serving our country in the armed forces during this time of war.”

The resolution notes the service people “are carrying out their mission with excellence, patriotism and bravery.” The board pledged its “support and solidarity to their families who are left behind while we pray and worry with them for their safe return.”

Selectmen said they wanted to support “all of the United States Armed Forces, our own Maine State National Guard, and other Reserve Forces who reside in Maine, who have been activated to participate in this war with the nation of Iraq and in other theaters of this global war on terrorism…”

Board members said in adopting the resolution they were not taking any position on the war, either for or against, but wanted military personnel and their families to know that the Town of Lisbon supports them. Copies of the resolution will be sent to all local veterans’ organizations and clubs.

– By Connie Footman
Lisbon:

Trail altered

by commission

In an effort to bring costs down, the Lisbon Trail Commission has made some design changes in the Papermill Road Trail.

In a report to selectmen this week, commission Chairman Layne Curtis said the width of the trail has been reduced from 12-foot wide pavement, not counting shoulders, to 9 feet and shortened by 750 feet, which should bring the cost down to $191,000. Some at the meeting speculated that a narrower path would be better because it might deter vehicles being driven onto it.

The project, as now planned, will end farther back from the school property.

It was also announced that the town has received notification of a new $200,000 state grant for the project. That would allow extending it from Mill Street to Upland Road, a distance of 3,000 feet. The grant is contingent upon approval of state bond issue that is to be voted on in November, Town Manager Curtis Lunt said.

– By Connie Footman

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