AUGUSTA ( AP) — A legislative committee has agreed on a long-simmering bill to overhaul the way development is regulated in Maine’s Unorganized Territory.
The Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry on Thursday gave final approval by a 12-0 vote, with one absent, to a bill to overhaul the Land Use Regulation Commission. It includes numerous changes from earlier versions, and removes a provision that allowed counties to drop out of LURC’s protections.
The bill also ensures that county commissioners who would become the land use regulators are qualified to do so.
Environmentalists say the worst part of the bill, which allowed counties to opt out of LURC oversight, was dropped. Republicans call the finished product a compromise.
Republican Senate President Kevin Raye of Perry says the bill moves LURC functions out of Augusta.
Comments are not available on this story. Read more about why we allow commenting on some stories and not on others.
We believe it's important to offer commenting on certain stories as a benefit to our readers. At its best, our comments sections can be a productive platform for readers to engage with our journalism, offer thoughts on coverage and issues, and drive conversation in a respectful, solutions-based way. It's a form of open discourse that can be useful to our community, public officials, journalists and others.
We do not enable comments on everything — exceptions include most crime stories, and coverage involving personal tragedy or sensitive issues that invite personal attacks instead of thoughtful discussion.
You can read more here about our commenting policy and terms of use. More information is also found on our FAQs.
Show less