Holiday kickoff Scenes from Bridgton’s Festival of Lights, Christmas in Harrison Page 8A
Santa Shuffle
Inside News
There were very interesting outfits being worn by those taking part in the 5K
Calendar . . . . . . . 6B-7B Classifieds . . . . . . . . . 7B Country Living . . . 5B-6B Directory . . . . . . . . . . 4B
Page 5A
Obituaries . . . . . . 2B-3B Opinions . . . . . . . 1B-4B Police . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4A Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . 5A Student News . . . . . . 6A Games . . . . . . . . . . . . 4B
Serving Bridgton and the surrounding towns of Western Maine since 1870. Vol. 150, No. 49
16 PAGES - 2 Sections
Bridgton, Maine
December 9, 2021
Legal Notices . . . . . . . 2B
www.bridgton.com
(USPS 065-020)
95¢
Casco boathouse, gazebo slow pact
SCENIC VIEWS AT RISK — Lynn Hurd, who lives on Christian Hill, says a proposed solar array, which calls for two fields of panels between Christian Hill Road and Shave Hill Road in Lovell, would damage the scenic view and threatened property values. Hurd spoke at last week’s Lovell Planning Board meeting.
Shedding light on solar project
CALL FOR A MORATORIUM — Resident David Durrenberger supported a suggested moratorium on solar developlment to give Lovell time to address its existing ordinance. (Rivet Photos)
By Wayne E. Rivet Staff Writer LOVELL — Every morning when Lynn Hurd wakes up, she sees a beautiful mountain range and wooded area below it from her farmhouse on Christian Hill in Lovell. “I see it in the wintertime covered in white from the snow. I see the trees bud in the spring and open up to fill with leaves, and I see the vibrant foliage in the fall. I appreciate and enjoy this natural beauty every day,” she told a packed Town Hall last Wednesday night. “… At present, the talk is that I will look down toward the mountains and woods below onto 110 acres across the road only to see a huge section of woods removed and an enormous mass of solar panels and whatever apparatus is involved in its place.” Walden Solar, a subsidiary of Walden Renewables Development LLC of Portsmouth, N.H. and New York, is proposing to develop two solar arrays on about 180 acres between Christian Hill Road and Shave Hill Road. Hurd and other “con-
By Dawn De Busk Staff Writer CASCO — A former selectman finds himself the other side of the table. He’s the waterfront propertyowner who is entering into a consent agreement with the Town of Casco. Thomas Peaslee, who in the past served on the Casco Board of Selectmen and also on the Casco Planning Board, addressed the requests made by legal counsel. The consent agreement had been written up, and then legal counsel was asked to review it. Two structures stood out as items the Casco town lawyer recommended dropping from the consent pact. That way the town isn’t liable if the Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) decides to proceed with a notice of violation of the Shoreland Zoning Law. Peaslee explained that each structure had been approved by the person who was the code enforcement officer at the time. Because he was an elected official, he doublechecked that everything was by the book, Peaslee said. The consent agreement was under ‘New Business’ on the agenda for the selectmen’s meeting on Nov. 3. Chairman Mary-Vienessa Fernandes mentioned the town attorney’s concern. “Our legal council did review it. They had no issues with the exception of Page
cerned” residents packed the Town Hall at a regularly-scheduled Planning Board meeting, seeking both answers about the two-field array and supporting a push for a moratorium on solar development. Hurd, who read from a prepared statement, impressed upon planners the need to protect Christian and Shave Hill Roads, which are popular stopping points to view scenic vistas. “Over the years, at any time, particularly during the summer and fall, I have seen hundreds and hundreds of vehicles come down the hill near my house (which her parents purchased in 1944) and slow down, pull over, or just even stop in the road to observe the view of the mountains and trees below. Many of them will take pictures. I am not sure any of you know how much traffic goes over both Christian and Shave Hill Roads. It is constant during the warmer months,” she said. “It isn’t only the fact of desecrating Christian Hill, which is not an aesthetical place to carry The Magic Lantern is out this project. We are all opening soon!! SOLAR, Page 3A “We want to update the community on the progress at the Magic Lantern. Our licenses are in place and our contracts with movie companies underway. As soon as we get new releases in place, we will be opening the Magic Lantern and restaurant!” reported Susan Jennings, Maine 4-H Foundation executive director. “This will hopefully be on Thursday, Dec. 9. The 4-H educational staff will take some time to get in place, but we are beginning to move forward with hiring all types of hourly positions. Positions will include ticket and concession sales, kitchen preparation, wait staff, and more. Interested individuals can come and apply directly at the theater.” The educational program outreach will begin in the spring as 4-H staff become engaged and some new 4-H professional staff hired. Programs will be focused
Theater close to reopening
Cupola to be overnight rental By Dawn De Busk Staff Writer NAPLES — Once, hundreds of people stayed the night at the Bay of Naples Inn, the turn-of-the-century hotel that overlooked Long Lake. Now, one or two people can spend the night in the Bay of Naples Inn’s cupola, which has been remodeled into a onebedroom unit complete with a bathroom. This summer, Naples resident and businessman Dan LaJoie took over ownership of the cupola. Since then, carpenters have worked on renovating the structure. With an upper floor created for the bedroom, the cupola now has 600 square feet of space. On Tuesday, the Naples Planning Board approved the future changes to the interior of the cupola, which will make it suitable as a short-term rental. Essentially, this is an amendment to an already approved site plan. The cupola came before the board this summer prior to being relocated. The motion was to approve the amended site plan as presented with the dormer, with a legal egress and with a deck off the back, and with notes added to plan, saying this is to be a one-bedroom unit, a cottage rental tied to the septic system. The board voted, 4-0, with Larry Anton abstaining. Those members who voted in favor were: Jimmy Allen, John Thompson, Martina Witts and Robert Fogg. LaJoie hired Renee Carter, of Creative Consulting, to present the plan to the board. Carter is the former code enforcement officer for the town. The egress window was part of the request to make the cupola legal as a place to be inhabited overnight. “What we would like to do is add a dormer, an inverted dormer. So that we could have a room, a bedroom upstairs — they need an egress,” Carter said. “We want to call it a little cottage. It looks pretty good. The little building is beautiful. We want people to enjoy the history CUPOLA, Page 6A
2, item F and G. A movable gazebo does not meet setback,” Fernandes said, reading the document. “No permit has been located in town records for placement of the bunkhouse.” “Those are the two items that counsel disagreed with,” she said. Later that evening, the parties met in executive session. On Friday, Chairman Fernandes said that nothing had been signed yet. The selectmen were waiting for the other party to drop the two items from the list of non-conforming structures. “We don’t sign the consent agreement until the legal counsel looks at it. Then, we don’t sign it until the other party does what legal counsel ask,” she said. “The way I see it: In the State of Maine, our waters are important to us. We have so many homes on waterfront property — that is where phosphorous comes from,” she said. The board should be vigilant in upholding the Shoreland Zoning laws and in protecting the water quality, she said. The board cannot treat one property-owner different from another, she said. On Nov. 30, Casco Town Manager Anthony “Tony” Ward explained the reason for worrying about the town allowing non-conforming structures in the . PACT, Page 6A
on STEM and engineering, solar energy powered cars, culinary arts, marketing and digital media, and the performing and visual arts. Programs will be designed to be hands-on and full of amazing learning opportunities. In the meantime, Maine 4-H Foundation will be initiating a local electronic newsletter for parents and schools to keep informed about educational possibilities available at the Magic Lantern Innovation Lab and Learning Center. To add your name to the newsletter, please e-mail susan.jennings@maine.edu and you will be added to the list. There is no cost and a great deal of fun resources. The new Magic Lantern Innovation Lab and Learning Center will become a resource and community educational program for the entire community. The center will continue to offer community programs THEATER, Page 2A
The Bridgton News Established 1870
HAND ON DOORKNOB, Dan LaJoie, the current owner of the Bay of Naples Inn’s cupola, had an interesting proposal he brought before the Naples Planning Board on Tuesday night. The cupola will be made available as an overnight rental. (De Busk Photo)
P.O. Box 244, 118 Main St. Bridgton, ME 04009 207-647-2851 Fax: 207-647-5001 bnews@roadrunner.com