Meeting Jan. 11 includes selling former quarry

Sun, 01/10/2016 - 7:15pm

ROCKLAND — The city’s council convenes at 6 p.m. at City Hall to deliver commendations to staff, consider liquor and entertainment licenses to various establishments, and address several more controversial issues, including the moratorium on power generation facilities of certain sizes, new proposed rules governing short term rentals, and creating an ad hoc committee to talk about public school options.

Not on the agenda, but perhaps to surface during public forum, will be comments on the highly publicized ongoing personnel investigations by the city manager.

The meeting will be held in the City Council Chambers, at 270 Pleasant St. Rockland Council meetings are televised on Public Access Channel 22.

To read the entire agenda, and review the backup material, click here. The PDF includes the proposed regulations for short term rentals, which applies to property owners renting out homes and apartments as lodging.

The agenda includes the ratification of a vision statement for the city. That reads:

“By June 30, the City of Rockand will be known as a place where public officials, private citizens and the press work together, with optimism, trust and collaboration, to create and promote the region’s unique assets and quality of life.”

The state continues, saying Rockland has increased its tourism, increased property values, and associated revenues, “by realizing the potential of our natural waterfront resource in many diverse ways.”

The city’s civic amenities have been enhanced, young families are choosing to live in Rockland, and there is an intown housing renaissance for all socioeconomic levels, the statement says.

New business are being attracted, and there is a focus on renewable energy, the vision says.

It concludes: “At the same time, positive changes have taken place with workplace culture among city employees. Through a focus on continuous improvement and creativity, we have improved efficiency and reduced our need to outsource work, by investing in staff development and fostering an entrepreneurial/ownership spirit among all department heads. Employee satisfaction is at an all-time high.”

The moratorium on site plan applications for new grid-scale power generation facilities was discussed at length Dec. 14, when the council voted 3 to 2 to preliminary approve a moratorium on new grid-scale power generation facilities.

The measure had been submitted by council member William Jillson and applies to all new applications for plants generating 10 megawatts or more, unless they are proposed on the site of an existing business for its own power generation.

“The provisions of this moratorium do not apply to businesses constructing heating or power generation systems to meet onsite heating and/or power needs,” the amendment reads.

The council agenda also includes increasing general assistance amounts, and issuing a quit claim deed for the city-owned Engine Quarry, a 14-acre parcel at 224 Old County Road.

Interested buyers include Frederick Dodd, who is offering $20,000 for the property. He wants to preserve and clean out the quarry, and make it available for students who want to study “such a different and unique self-contained ecosystem.”

Dodd has already purchased and restored another Rockland quarry on Mountain Street, as well as a 17-acre island just off of North Haven.

As he has done there, on Oak Island, he intends to create nature trails at Engine Quarry for the public to enjoy.

Greg Dorr, of Camden, is also interested in the property, and is offering the city his property at 45 Rankin Street in exchange for the 224 Old County Road parcel. He said in his bid proposal that his Rankin Street lot would be useful to Rockland as a site for a retention pond, and ameliorating Lindsey Brook flooding.