Eighty-six percent of Byron’s property was once owned by paper companies. That’s approximately 29,000 of 34,000 acres. Look at the property surrounding a house in Byron, or the spots that have always been free for fishing, hunting, hiking or snowmobiling.

That land is now owned by out-of-state investors. They want a return on that investment. They’re liquidating that land as quick as they can cut the timber from it. This isn’t happening just in Byron, it’s happening across the state.

What the Byron Planning Board is attempting to do with the Commercial Campground Ordinance is not “one-sided.” I live in Byron because of the quiet, undeveloped place it is. If I wanted Old Orchard Beach, I would have moved there.

The planning board isn’t trying to stop development from coming. It’s coming whether we want it, or not. They’re trying to keep it a little more lower profile than other areas of the state.

Byron is a beautiful place. Look out your window. Imagine what you might see when development comes. Again, not if, but when.

This ordinance isn’t about changing existing commercial campgrounds. The Coos Canyon Campground has been part of this community for years and has the approval of the planning board. This ordinance is about keeping the quiet and scenic appearance that people from all over the world enjoy seeing, including those of us that live here.

Robert Susbury Jr., Byron

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