What do we want for our town

Sun, 10/15/2023 - 8:45pm

Ed O’Brien

The scene at the Community Building for an informational meeting about the town’s options in response to the proposed building. (Photo by Ed O’Brien)

The site of a proposed 10,640 square foot retail store with 32 parking spaces. (Photo by Ed O’Brien)

The view across Moody Pond (Photo by Ed O’Brien)

The scene at the Community Building for an informational meeting about the town’s options in response to the proposed building. (Photo by Ed O’Brien)

The site of a proposed 10,640 square foot retail store with 32 parking spaces. (Photo by Ed O’Brien)

The view across Moody Pond (Photo by Ed O’Brien)

I have always been a prolific dreamer. They are often long and complex, but, much to the chagrin of some of my patients in my day job, I am not one to analyze or interpret dreams.

However one dream I had many years ago has recently come to mind. I was young, maybe seven or eight. I think it must have been around the time time that Henry Bovine’s Bald Rock Market was around, because in my dream I was walking there. I had probably recently been to a more urbanized part of the world because, in the dream, the corner of Slab City and Beach Roads had been transformed. Stores and buildings and fast food franchises dominated the landscape. My little pastoral part of the world forever changed.

It is funny how a dream dreamt 40 years ago will stick with you, but there you are. It came rushing back this week with the confirmation that a commercial building has been proposed for the corner of Beach, Thurlow, and Camden roads, right across from the Drake Market. People had already been whispering, but now it was confirmed. It appears likely that a chain store is seeking to set itself down in the middle of Lincolnville.

This has led to some scrambling from townspeople to learn what the process is to challenge such a project.

Town Administrator Dave Kinney pointed people to the Land Use Ordinance, and the town Planning Board, which is in charge of enforcing this.

The Planning Board is charged with making sure that the existing regulations are being followed, not to offer editorial opinions about the nature of the business being proposed.

That said, there are actions the townspeople can take, and steps are being taken to file a moratorium.

Anyway, big news in a small town. At a recent middle school cross country meet, between cheering for Lincolnville runners (another tough loss to Camden-Rockport) all anyone could talk about was the proposed store.

An informational meeting was held this Sunday, packing the Community Building. Susan Silverio estimated upwards of 180 people were in attendance.

The current option seems to be to see if the Select Board will call a special town meeting to put a 180 day delay on any new large commercial buildings with multiple other retail operations. Should the Select Board decline to do this, a petition is being circulated. It will need the signatures of 10% of those who voted in the last election to call a town meeting without the say so of the Select Board.

As for me, I would love to see this kind of energy around building high density, mixed income housing. I see little chance of the proposed store surviving because we simply do not have housing for the workers it will need. As I have alluded to in prior columns, this wonderful little town has become too expensive for the average family. A vacant field would be better served by building homes, not a “small box” retail store.

And if some kid wants to really freak out Center residents this Halloween, might I suggest dressing up as a Dollar General.

Library News

Tuesday the 17th at 5 p.m. there will be a book discussion of Elizabeth Hand’s Hokula Road. Thursday the 19th at 10 a.m. will be children’s hour with songs, stories, and crafts. And on Saturday the 21st, a children’s Pysanky class will be held at 10 a.m. Register at questions@lincolnlibrary.org. And every Tuesday from 3-5 is Needlework Together. Join with your neighbors to stitch and- talk.

Final Flea Market of the Season

From 8-noon on Saturday the 21st at the Community Building in the Center, the UCC flea market will be held. Go for antiques, handcrafts, and goodies baked by church ladies (always the best kind of baked goods)!

Alright Lincolnville, be good and be kind. So I am seeking some help for the final columns of the Spooky Season. I would love any ghost stories you may have from this little town. I addition, if you have any old photos from Halloween past, I would love to include them in a gallery in a future article. Reach out to me at ceobrien246@gmail.com

CALENDAR

Tuesday, October 17

Library open 3-6 p.m. 208 Main Street

AA Meeting 12 p.m., Community Building, 18 Searsmont Road

Wednesday, October 18

Library open 2-5 p.m.

Thursday, October 19

Comprehensive Plan Review Committee, 6:30 p.m., Town Office

Friday, October 20

AA Meeting 12 p.m., Community Building, 18 Searsmont Road

Library open 9-12, 208 Main Street

Saturday, October 21