01/10/2008
from the Kennebec Journal
Additional hires OK'd for Labor Department
5 YEARS IN HISTORIC HOME FIRE
Rotary vigils to end, for now
Unknowns bewilder merger discussion
Mills girds Augusta's newest officials for service
China answering subdivision lawsuit
Teams rejoice 1st wins
Bulldogs buckle down late, secure victory
All of today's:
News | Sports
from the Kennebec Journal
from the Morning Sentinel
WATERVILLE: Marden's goes wild
Aging workforce presents challenges to employers
SKOWHEGAN: Bypass study aired
NEWPORT: Woman accused of threatening neighbor with rifle
Lawmakers get cost-of-living pay increases
WATERVILLE: Driver escapes minivan after crash
BOYS BASKETBALL NOTEBOOK: Madison overcomes slow start
BOYS BASKETBALL: Lawrence coach Mike McGee picks up 300th win
All of today's:
News | Sports
from the Morning Sentinel
Mitchell Feeney told planners Tuesday that approximately 100 acres of land would be preserved from future development, and that storm-water runoff controls would be strengthened and improved.
"We're committed to conserving that property," which is mostly woods and wetlands, he said.
The runoff control measures were suggested at a Jan. 3 meeting with representatives of the Kennebec Water District, Kennebec County Soil and Water Conservation District, the China Region Lakes Alliance and other local groups.
Jeff Fredenburg of the soil and water conservation district told China planners he sent Hannaford a list of seven other proposed requirements, which he will also send to the Planning Board.
The supermarket chain is planning a 36,000-square-foot full-service supermarket, plus a 20,000-square-foot adjoining retail building off Windsor Road about 500 feet south of Route 3.
Tuesday's Planning Board hearing -- a continuation of the board's Dec. 11 hearing -- drew about 20 residents and lasted almost two hours. Most of the residents who spoke were concerned about traffic.
The traffic plan calls for installing a traffic light at the intersection of Windsor Road and Route 3; narrowing Route 3 to one lane each way approaching the light, with three lanes each way -- left-turn, through and right-turn -- at the light; and rebuilding the intersection of Route 3 and Lakeview Drive a short distance east of the Windsor Road intersection.
Hannaford has said it will pay for the road work.
There was unanimous agreement that people drive too fast on Route 3, and several residents fear that having a stop sign instead of a yield sign for drivers turning west onto Route 3 from Lakeview Drive would make it harder for entering traffic to get up to speed without being rear-ended.
Residents of South China Village asked about increased speed and congestion if drivers start cutting through the village to avoid the proposed new stop sign.
Residents of Vassalboro Road -- which intersects Route 3 too far west to be part of Hannaford's traffic plan -- say they expect the store will produce more traffic past their houses.
Planning Board Chairman Scott Rollins said the record of the hearing will remain open for additional written comments until 4 p.m. Jan. 18; and then until 4 p.m. Jan. 25, for rebuttals to any new comments.
Comments should mailed, e-mailed or hand-delivered to Code Enforcement Officer Scott Pierz at the Town Office by the deadlines.
Rollins said Pierz will compile a complete record of the proceedings that board members will review before starting to discuss whether Hannaford's application meets town ordinance criteria. Deliberations may not begin until March, he said.
The second item on Tuesday's agenda was discussion of Cleveland Street Retreat LLC's plan to convert rental cabins on part of the Pellerin Campground off Vassalboro Road to individually-owned "cabiniums."
Board members and Pierz advised co-owner Michael Sabatini to file a subdivision application and a request for a waiver from China's new standards for private subdivision roads.
Reader comments
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A better, and safer, solution would be to create a third lane for merging. Don't disrupt that traffic flow, gas is over $3.50 a gallon, idling at traffic lights wastes gas, and at this point in time we need every mile per gallon we can get!report abuse
I think that organization has done more to promote the interests of special interests needing and wanting to keep China Lake abnormally high than it has to done in the interests of protecting the natural lake.
The “Alliance” is not wholly owned and governed by China, another situation that could cause conflict within town.
Hannaford should either retain control of the land by itself or make sure there are restrictions as to it use. I’m sure Hannaford would not want hunting or shooting that might cause it’s customers any fear when they could easily prevent the issue in the first place.
A lot of people in China remember the women killed in her kitchen in China by a stray hunting bullet in the early 1950’s. Some are also aware of a bullet hole in the door at the store on 32 South that happened just a couple of years ago during hunting season.
Recreational vehicle use may also be a nuisance that Hannaford might want to make sure wouldn’t compromise the tranquility of their new store or turn the neighborhood into a noisy recreational site for the local motor sport fans if CRLA chooses to allow their use on it’s new land.
The tax issue is insignificant in my opinion as taxes on back land and wetlands would cost Hannaford next to nothing and result in next to nothing in tax revenue to the town.
I have a great deal more faith in Hannaford’s stewardship of the land than I do in the politically influenced China Region Lakes Alliance who might sell out use of the land to groups that would do great damage to a very sensitive. I think they would do that in an effort to gain political clout to influence keeping China Lake unnaturally high.report abuse
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