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Thursday, May 19, 2005
Weld rejects gate for Tumbledown access
Copyright © 2005 Blethen Maine Newspapers Inc. | ||||
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A special town meeting vote this week soundly defeated a request by the owners that the town gate a town-owned access road that crosses their land and leads to Tumbledown and Little Jackson Mountains. Webb Lake Woods Maine LLC, a limited partnership whose principal shareholder is L.L.Bean heiress Linda Bean Folkers, owns 2,200 acres in the area, part of 7,700 acres it purchased when MeadWestvaco Corp. sold off its holdings last year in a historic $2.5 million deal brokered by the state and non-profit organizations. The new landowners own both sides of Morgan Road, a narrow dirt access road off Byron Road that links to Parker Ridge Trail and Little Jackson Mountain Trail. Fed up with the rubbish, trail erosion from traffic, sanitation problems, and campfires, Folkers and her associates tried to get the town to close its section of road to vehicles. Residents Tuesday were angry and fearful that the new owners came in and want to change the way the land has historically been used. One man said Folkers should have been there herself to assure the town of her intentions. Others said the owners should have tried to find a solution before pushing ahead with something as drastic as a gate. "I suggest the landowners work with the Tumbledown Conservation Alliance, state officials, Weld selectmen and the people and come back at an annual town meeting with other alternatives," said resident Neil Stinneford. The town owns the first .84 miles of Morgan Road and the partnership owns the next 1,400 feet that has an unofficial lean-to and parking area. Those uses are now eliminated, the landowner's representative, certified forester Steve Gettle, said Wednesday. To emphasize the problems that started the controversy, Gettle showed slides of rubbish dumped in the various locations and badly eroded roads. He said much of the trash has since been cleaned up. He said the owners hope to create an easement that would give the public continued access to the trails -- on foot. He also said a long-term forest management plan is being prepared. "I spoke to the owners (Tuesday) night and there are no hard feelings about the vote. They want to work with the town going forward," Gettle said. "They have no plans to develop the land -- they have not done that with any other parcels they own." This summer, visitors will see changes. The badly eroded, private end of Morgan Road will be restored and will be blocked off to cars. The 13 fire pits on private property in the adjacent field will be removed and campfires banned. Weld fire warden Jerry Nearing on Wednesday confirmed the owners' intentions and said no fire permits are to be issued for that area. He hoped the publicity discourages people from challenging the new restrictions. "If the public knows, there is less likely to be an issue and it will make is easier to enforce," he said. Betty Jespersen -- 778-6991 bjespersen@centralmaine.com |
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