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For Immediate Release
September 11, 2019
Land Use Planning Commission Approves Irving’s Fish River Chain of Lakes Concept Plan
Augusta, ME – The Land Use Planning Commission has approved J.D. Irving Limited’s Fish River Chain of Lakes Concept Plan in northeastern Aroostook County, authorizing zoning for up to 330 residences, a small commercial development area and four community and economic development areas, and restricting for the life of the plan, most development in the balance of the plan area. The plan also establishes procedures for sale of existing leased lots that protect residents’ road access and lake water quality; includes permanent conservation of over 16,000 acres and long-term public access to lakes, and guarantees public recreational trail access for the life of the plan. The concept plan does not authorize specific residential or commercial development to begin; it establishes a process through which Irving may sell leases and identifies areas where development may be located in the future after additional permitting reviews.
The Fish River chain of lakes is a series of five lakes located in northernmost Maine, north and west of Caribou and south of Frenchville. With today's approval, the plan will be effective as soon as Thursday, September 26, 2019. The LUPC will be meeting with the community to review the plan and answer questions on Wednesday, September 25, in Caribou.
A copy of the LUPC Staff Recommendation and the concept plan are available on the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry webpage at https://www.maine.gov/dacf/lupc/.
For more information contact: Jim Britt, DACF Communications Director, (207) 287-3156.
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ABOUT LUPC
The LUPC has the responsibility of serving the unorganized and deorganized areas of Maine and helping guide land use across its 10.4 million acres, the largest contiguous undeveloped area in the northeast.
The LUPC serves as the planning and zoning authority for the unorganized and deorganized areas of the State, including townships and plantations. These areas either have no local government or have chosen not to administer land use controls at the local level.
Along with carrying out its planning and zoning responsibilities, the LUPC issues permits for smaller development projects, such as home construction and camp renovations. For larger development projects requiring Department of Environmental Protection review under the Site Location of Development Law, the LUPC certifies that proposed land uses are allowed and that proposed development activities comply with applicable LUPC land use standards. The Legislature created the Commission to extend principles of sound planning, zoning, and development to the unorganized and deorganized areas of the State. To learn more visit https://www.maine.gov/dacf/lupc/.
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