Washington Planning Board
Town Office
Old Union Road
Washington, Maine 04574
Re: Lane Construction application
Dear Members of the Planning Board:
Thank you for looking at the Lane Construction application – Washington needs good counsel on the suitability of this project, and we are sure that you will do you best in providing that. We’d like to make a few comments for your consideration:
We strongly urge the Planning Board to consult, and perhaps retain, some people who are expert engineers in the fields of hydrology, geology, noise levels, and transportation and traffic planning - as well people familiar with navigating around land use and comprehensive plan technicalities.
We think this step is warranted because:
The Land Association of Washington has requested this, and as it the opposition in standing, due process and administrative fairness require it;
Many of the residents attending the May 10 public hearing seem to believe that experts are necessary for such a proposal, and while the Board is responsible to Washington Ordinances first and foremost, it’s obligation to the citizens of Washington is not entirely absent; and ,
The technical complexities of the proposal, the very long history of legal disputes with Lane Construction over their projects, and the legal and interpretive issues that Mr. Marks raises in his May 1 memorandum to the Board all seem to suggest that this is a very complicated issue calling for expertise.
Finally, thank you for the opportunity on May 10 to introduce ourselves to the Board as representing a group of concerned Washington residents. For the record, the Knox Greens represent 13 registered Maine Green Independent Party voters in Washington. (Almost one in ten Washington voters voted for Ralph Nader, our Presidential candidate.) We represent over 400 Party members in Knox County. The Knox Greens are an official chapter of the Maine Green Independent Party that has nearly 10,000 registered members throughout the State.
Thank you for your time and your service to the community. Please feel free to contact us with any questions.
Sincerely,
Mike Ray, co-chair
Lynne Williams, co-chair
Cc:
Land Association of Washington
Lane Construction Corporation
Senator Christine Savage
Representative Richard Crabtree
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