Tag: Land Use Regulatory Committee

Producer/Host: Amy Browne

Today we continue our coverage of yesterday’s public hearing, before the Joint Standing Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry on 2 pieces of pending legislation.
LD 819, pponsored by Representative Jeff McCabe, is an Emergency Resolve that would make changes to the way Maine’s Land Use Regulatory Committee– or LURC– operates. LD 1534, sponsored by Representative Jeffery Gifford, would abolish LURC completely, turning their planning and zoning authority for the state’s unorganized territories (you’ll hear them referred to here as “UT”s), over to the counties. 2 other pieces of proposed legislation concerning LURC were pulled from consideration by their sponsors yesterday.
Yesterday on the WERU News Report we heard mostly from supporters of LD1534, the bill that would abolish LURC. Today we hear some other points of view:

Producer/Host: Amy Browne

The Joint Standing Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry is hearing testimony, as we go to air today, on bills that would revise — or even abolish– Maine’s Land Use Regulatory Commission, also known as LURC. LURC was created by the Maine Legislature in 1971 to serve as the planning and zoning authority for the state’s and unorganized territories– or, as you’ll hear them referred to today, UT’s

LD 1534 An Act To Reform the Land Use and Planning Authority in the Unorganized Territories, Sponsored by Representative Jeffery Gifford, would abolish LURC, effective in 2012, transferring authority for land use planning over to the counties.
and LD 819 Resolve, To Improve the Predictability of Land Use Regulation in the Unorganized Territories, (Emergency) Sponsored by Representative Jeff McCabe of Skowhegan which would require some changes in the way LURC operates.
Today we’re going to hear testimony from those in FAVOR of the proposed legislation, in particular LD 1534, the bill that would abolish LURC. Tomorrow we’ll bring you testimony from opponents, which is still taking place today at air time: