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Log inAUGUSTA: Hiking, cabs on agenda
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AUGUSTA: Hiking, cabs on agenda
by Outspoken on Mon Oct 06, 2008 4:11 am
AUGUSTA: Hiking, cabs on agenda
BY KEITH EDWARDS
Staff Writer Kennebec Journal
AUGUSTA -- A plan to create hiking and other recreational trails, while banning ATVs for the next several years, from city-owned land between Bond Brook and the airport, as well as a controversial change in taxi cab rates, go to the City Council tonight.
Councilors could also take up a hotly debated, but currently tabled, proposal to require even the smallest of commercial development projects occurring on 18 "gateway" streets into the city to go before the Planning Board. Currently, such projects disturbing less than an acre of land only require review by the code enforcement office, if the proposed use is allowed by zoning.
The proposed change was approved by the Planning Board and was sent to the City Council for review. However councilors voted to table the proposal and it would take a council vote to bring the proposal back up for debate.
An item that is up for a council vote is the "short-term" plan for 266 wooded, city-owned acres between Bond Brook and the Augusta State Airport, as recommended by the Conservation Commission and Augusta Tree Board.
Conservation Commission Chairman Rex Turner told councilors the recommendation is to develop the land for natural-resource based recreation, such as hiking, biking and skiing trails.
The land already has numerous trails, many of which have been used by ATV riders for years.
Leif Dahlin, the city's community-services director, said ATVs have caused extensive environmental damage on the land, and he recommends they, and other motorized uses, be banned at least for the short-term, which he described as five to 10 years. Eventually Turner and Dahlin said ATV-riders could be welcomed back onto some of the trails.
The plan councilors would be asked to accept tonight envisions the land being used for activities such as cross-country ski racing, mountain biking, birding, hiking, fishing, and bow hunting.
A proposed new taxi cab ordinance -- setting rates which taxi operators can charge in the city -- is up for a first reading tonight, meaning it can be discussed but no council vote is expected.
http://kennebecjournal.mainetoday.com/news/local/5478805.html
BY KEITH EDWARDS
Staff Writer Kennebec Journal
AUGUSTA -- A plan to create hiking and other recreational trails, while banning ATVs for the next several years, from city-owned land between Bond Brook and the airport, as well as a controversial change in taxi cab rates, go to the City Council tonight.
Councilors could also take up a hotly debated, but currently tabled, proposal to require even the smallest of commercial development projects occurring on 18 "gateway" streets into the city to go before the Planning Board. Currently, such projects disturbing less than an acre of land only require review by the code enforcement office, if the proposed use is allowed by zoning.
The proposed change was approved by the Planning Board and was sent to the City Council for review. However councilors voted to table the proposal and it would take a council vote to bring the proposal back up for debate.
An item that is up for a council vote is the "short-term" plan for 266 wooded, city-owned acres between Bond Brook and the Augusta State Airport, as recommended by the Conservation Commission and Augusta Tree Board.
Conservation Commission Chairman Rex Turner told councilors the recommendation is to develop the land for natural-resource based recreation, such as hiking, biking and skiing trails.
The land already has numerous trails, many of which have been used by ATV riders for years.
Leif Dahlin, the city's community-services director, said ATVs have caused extensive environmental damage on the land, and he recommends they, and other motorized uses, be banned at least for the short-term, which he described as five to 10 years. Eventually Turner and Dahlin said ATV-riders could be welcomed back onto some of the trails.
The plan councilors would be asked to accept tonight envisions the land being used for activities such as cross-country ski racing, mountain biking, birding, hiking, fishing, and bow hunting.
A proposed new taxi cab ordinance -- setting rates which taxi operators can charge in the city -- is up for a first reading tonight, meaning it can be discussed but no council vote is expected.
http://kennebecjournal.mainetoday.com/news/local/5478805.html
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Plato (427-347 BC)
Plato (427-347 BC)
