VASSALBORO PLANNING BOARD
MINUTES
MARCH 2, 2021
VIRTUAL MEETING
7:00 P.M.

Board Members: Ginny Bracket, Chair, Sally Butler, Doug Phillips, Marianne Stevens, John Phillips, Betsy Poulin
Staff: Paul Mitnik, CEO, LPI, BI, AO
Public: Landis Hudson & Mathew Streeter, Maine Rivers; Holly Weidner

1. Review of January 5, 2021 Minutes.

2. Applications

A. Maine Rivers / Town of Vassalboro
Shoreland Zoning Limited Residential Commercial District
Piers, Docks, Bridges, Public Boat Facilities, or other uses extending over or below the normal high water mark
Main St
Map 20 Lots 17 & 29

A fishway is proposed at the China Lake Outlet dam on Town land with Maine Rivers as the agent to aid in alewife and other fish migration in the China Lake Outlet Stream.

Mathew Streeter of Maine Rivers gave an overview of the project
• Alewife restoration initiative – part of a larger project to restore fish passage on the China Lake Outlet Stream up to China Lake
• Dams #5 and #6 will be addressed this year. This project is dam #6 and involves building a Denil fishway on the China Lake dam.
• Location is on Town owned property including two lots. Property abutters to the lots were notified by letter.
• Dam #5 is the Morneau dam and removal of that is proposed. Maine Rivers will be seeking approval of that project at a future meeting.
• China Lake dam fishway has been already approved by U S Army Corp of Engineers. MDEP has issued an exemption, due to Dept of Marine Resources jurisdiction.
• Proposed use is below high water mark and hence shoreland authorization from the Planning Board is required in group including, piers, docks, ect.
• This is a functionally dependent water use and hence water setback is exempted.
• The erosion and sediment control plan is included in the submittal. A cofferdam will be installed upstream and downstream of the project to isolate project. DEP best management practices will be followed.
• Access from Cates property. Excavation equipment will travel on timber mats.
• The fishway will extend 45 feet east (perpendicular to the stream) and turn 90 degrees and go 45 feet south along the bank and into China Lake. The width will be 6.5 feet.
• Native scrubs will be planted along the banks to stabilize and prevent erosion.
• Mathew explained the Select Board wanted to limit public access to the site
• The Morneau dam project utilizing dam removal and rebuilding the driveway bridge over the stream to restore full bank flow will be introduced at next meeting.
Motion to approve project as submitted by Doug Phillips. Seconded by Betsy Poulin. Approved 5-0.
Subsequent discussion was that the Board was relying on the opinion of the Town’s Attorney Kristen Collins that the Town owns the land.

3. CEO Report
A. Abandoned Buildings
Paul discussed his enforcement action on three abandoned mobile homes in Town. The issue with abandoned buildings is their danger to structural and sanitary conditions and are a threat to opportunistic rat infestations. These old buildings are difficult to restore to habitable conditions. One of the homes was recently acquired by the Town through tax foreclosure; another has a building permit for demolition. Plan for the third is to issue notice of violation asking that the mobile home be demolished and removed, and use liability issue to convince owner to take action. Go to court if this failed. This approached has been supported by the Select Board.

Paul informed the Board that the April meeting will be his last due to retirement at the end of April.

Adjourn 8:00 PM

Respectfully submitted Paul Mitnik, CEO, LPI, BI, AO