Development Permit DP 4699

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Development Permit DP 4699

• SMIS Group, LLC
• Sapling Township
• Somerset County

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Proposal

• Dimensional Lumber Sawmill Facility
• Designed to produce 200 million board feet
  annually
• Purpose
• To provide a high production, highly efficient
  mill that can provide a market for raw wood from
  a large area surrounding mill
• Efficiency of mill will add high value to wood
  because the quality can be tightly controlled to
  meet the consumer and market demands
• Allow production of green-certified lumber

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Location Sapling Township Somerset County
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Location within Sapling Twp.
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Background

• 300 acre parcel under option to purchase from
  Plum Creek Maine Timberlands, LLC
• Zoning Petition ZP 689 rezoned 90 acres from M-GN
  to D-CI
• Public Hearing Request denied at August 11, 2004
  meeting

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Site Conditions

• Parcel previously used for timber production
• Parcel bordered to south by Maine, Montreal
  Atlantic Railroad and to east by State Route 15
• Class B/C soil survey revealed majority of
  development within Telos (TeB) soil type
• Development limitations mitigated with proper
  site design, site drainage, and/or addition of
  fill
• Within the direct watershed of Moosehead Lake and
  Indian Pond

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Project Description

• Development Area
• 90 of the 300 Acres cleared and graded
• Other acreage used for road construction, rail
  construction, sediment ponds and vegetative
  buffer
• Structural Development
• Sawmill, Planer Mill, Drying Kiln, Office, Repair
  Shop, Boiler Building

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Project Description, contd.

• Construct new access road
• Construct 3 parking areas
• Construct rail spur
• Install overhead utility line
• Install subsurface wastewater disposal system
• Construct 7 storm water detention ponds

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Site Plan
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Facility Details

• In operation 24 hrs. per day
• Full cut-off lighting
• On-site fire protection and security
• Disposal of construction debris and solid waste
  at Rockwood Transfer Station
• Wood waste burned in biomass boilers
• Ash removed by Waste Management Disposal Services
  of Maine
• Temporary and permanent on-site fuel storage

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Erosion Sedimentation Control

• Temporary Measures
• Install silt fence down-slope from construction
  area
• Install culvert inlet protection barriers
• Seed and mulch stockpiled soil material
• Install erosion control mat in ditches
• Permanent Measures
• Vegetative stabilization of exposed soil
• Construct ditches and sediment ponds
• Riprap inlets and outlets of sediment ponds

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Wetlands Assessment

• Wetlands delineated on 200 acres
• Either shrub-scrub or forested no wetlands of
  special significance
• Site visit with Army Corps of Engineers,
  Commission staff, Woodlot Alternatives, and
  Woodard and Curran
• Man-made wetlands identified
• Site plan further modified to avoid wetland
  impacts

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Review Criteria

• 12 M.R.S.A. Section 685-B,4 of the Commissions
  Statutes
• Adequate technical and financial provision
• Adequate provision for loading, parking,
  circulation of land, air, water, and traffic
• Harmonious fit into the existing natural
  environment
• Proposal must not cause unreasonable soil erosion
• Proposal must conform with this chapter and the
  regulations, standards, and plans adopted
  pursuant thereto

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Review Criteria Contd.

• Land Use Districts (Chap. 10, Sub-Chap. II)
• 10.21,A (D-CI)
• 10.22,A (M-GN)
• 10.23,N (P-WL)
• Land Use Standards (Chap. 10, Sub-Chap. III)
• 10.25 (Development Review Standards)
• 10.25,P (Wetland Alterations)
• 10.26 (Dimensional Requirements)
• 10.27 (Activity Specific Standards)

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Agency Review Comments

• DEP, Division of Watershed Management
• Reviewed storm water detention ponds and
  phosphorus control
• DOT
• Issued entrance permit for new access road
• DEP, Bureau of Remediation and Waste Management
• Reviewed fuel storage and waste disposal
• State Soil Scientist
• Recommendations on erosion and sedimentation
  control

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Agency Review Comments contd.

• DEP, Bureau of Air Quality
• Review Air Emissions License Application
• Somerset County Commissioners
• No objection to the proposal
• Soil and Water Conservation District
• No objection to the proposal
• Maine Forest Service
• Commented on wood supply

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Wetland Alteration Review

• Commissions Planning and Administration Division
• Commented that wetland alteration had been
  avoided and/or minimized to greatest possible
  extent
• Determined that functional assessment or
  compensation would not be required
• U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
• Found wetland alteration to be lt20,000 square
  feet
• Plan to issue a permit in September

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Conclusions

• Rail Spur may be allowed in P-WL
• No reasonably available alternative
• Wetland alteration qualifies for Tier 2 review
  and complies with General Land Use Standards for
  projects requiring such review
• Functional assessment and compensation may be
  waived for wetland alteration

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Conclusions contd.

• Proposal complies with Development Standards of
  Sub-Chapter III of the Commissions Land Use
  Districts and Standards
• Proposal meets Criteria for Approval, Section
  685-B(4) of the Commissions Statutes, 12 M.R.S.A.

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Staff Recommendation

• Staff recommends approval of SMIS Group LLCs
  request to construct a dimensional lumber sawmill
  facility in Sapling Twp., Somerset County