DIXFIELD – Selectmen at Monday night’s meeting got their first look at a new proposal to encourage development in Maine’s economically distressed areas.

Scott Christiansen of the River Valley Growth Council explained the ins and outs of the Pine Tree Zones, the rules of which are still being hashed out in the Legislature.

Christiansen said the Pine Tree Zone legislation is tied to specific parcels of real estate.

There will be eight designated zones throughout the state and although the River Valley area qualifies for its own zone, Christiansen thought it might instead get lumped into the already grandfathered Androscoggin Valley Region zone.

The Androscoggin Valley zone is essentially what the Androscoggin Valley Council of Governments covers, which is three counties and five growth councils.

Christiansen said it is considered a grandfathered zone due to job loss and the high rate of unemployment.

Any Pine Tree Zone-qualified business that moves into a zone will get a tax advantage for 10 to 15 years and pay no taxes for 10 years, he added.

“We want to be part of a zone, but have jobs and industry float here,” Christiansen said.

Each zone can have 20 noncontiguous sites but cannot exceed 5,000 acres.

One such site could be the Rumford industrial park, “if (town officials) do the smart thing” and nominate it, he added.

While everything about the plan is still up in the air, Christiansen said that if the River Valley doesn’t get its own Pine Tree Zone, it would have to go it alone, joining the Oxford Hills and Franklin growth councils.

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