Letter+from+the+Basgo+Town+Planners

To: Berwick Academy Seventh Grade Science Students From: Town of Basgo, Maine Planning Board Date: November 1, 2006

The Town of Basgo, Maine, established in 1725, is known for its tourism offerings, recreational appeal, and its one industry, Olde Mill Paints. The Wild River, along which the town center resides, is a popular spot for whitewater canoeists and kayakers at the falls and rapids, and flat-water paddlers and sailors enjoy the waters at the mouth of the river. Many dairy and horse farms line the river’s edge, and our quaint fishing community is known for its fabulous seafood restaurants. Basgo’s clean, sandy beaches are a popular tourist destination and offer unique opportunities to view coastal bird life. Coniferous forests, home to many woodland animals, surround the town and border the river in many locations.

We, the Planning Board of the Town of Basgo, anticipate that our town will grow as more summer residents choose to live here year round and new families are drawn to this area. Demographic studies show that our area of coastal Maine is growing in population faster than any other part of the state. We are making plans for future development along the Wild River. There is a need for additional family housing and for condominiums for people over age 55. We anticipate the construction of 150 single-family homes and two condominium developments of 40 units each in the next five years. There is a great demand to build much of this housing within view of the Wild River to the north of the center of town in an area now occupied by woodland.

In order to manage our tax base and support our local residents, we would like to encourage new businesses and industries to move into the town. We would like to develop a small industrial park on the western side of the river. Olde Mill Paints is presently located on the shore of the river, and we would like to consider including the paint business with any new industrial businesses in Basgo. The Town’s Fishermen’s Association, concerned that their annual catch is decreasing, would like to establish a commercial aquaculture farm to raise clams in the estuary and along the coast north of the mouth of the Wild River.

The Town of Basgo’s present infrastructure will not support the type of growth we anticipate. Additional roads and at least one additional bridge connecting Basgo to adjoining towns will be needed. A road capable of handling regular truck traffic must be built to connect Basgo to Route 95, the major interstate coastal highway. We are also considering the development of a local electrical plant, either a hydroelectric power plant with the construction of a dam up river from the center of Basgo, or a tidally-driven power plant down-river from the center of town.

We would like to make informed decisions about the future development of our town. We need your help to understand how the town and the surrounding environment will be impacted by development. We need your help to create a list of potential environmental impacts and your advice on ways our town can grow while protecting the Wild River, the estuary, and the Gulf of Maine against environmental damage.

We have attached a map of the Town of Basgo and the surrounding area.

Please prepare your presentations for our next town planning session, Wednesday November, 8th. If necessary we will continue our meeting on Thursday, November 9th.