The Edgecomb Board of Selectmen, along with town attorney William Dale, dealt with a noise issue, a public turnaround dispute, and an issue with a land owner not complying with a court order during the board’s meeting Monday, Oct. 20.
Kate and Michael Kastelein, along with their attorney, complained to the selectmen regarding the noise level from barking dogs at The Coastal Dog, located at 114 Middle Road. The Kasteleins presented documentation that the town’s noise ordinance was being violated by the barking dogs. The Coastal Dog is a business that provides day care and sleepovers for dogs.
Dale recommended that the owner of The Coastal Dog, Aleshia Norling, be notified of the complaint and a professional sound expert be contacted to determine if the noise ordinance is being violated. Should it be determined the ordinance is being violated, the town code enforcement officer would be notified to take whatever action would be necessary.
It is expected that the results of the sound testing will be presented at the next selectmen’s meeting Monday, Nov. 3.
Norling, in an Oct. 22 interview, told The Lincoln County News she has never received any direct complaints. It is unfortunate that she and the neighbors could not have started a dialogue and avoided the current situation, she said. She looks forward to the sound test.
Public turnaround
Englebrekt Road resident Topher Belknap objects to the town’s use of a turnaround, which lies partially on his land. He told the selectmen and Dale the town road commissioner began to cut trees on his property in an effort to widen the turnaround.
Belknap lives in a subdivision at the end of Englebrekt Road, on a private way. The town turnaround for snowplow trucks and emergency vehicles abuts his property.
Edgecomb Road Commissioner Scott Griffin told the board the town had planned to pave Englebrekt Road this year and pave the turnaround at the same time. “Historically, the town has used that right-of-way for the turnaround longer than 20 years,” Griffin said.
The town has not paved the road yet.
Currently the school bus doesn’t go down Englebrekt Road because of the condition of the turnaround, according to Griffin. “Something has to be done to make the turnaround slightly wider to make it an adequate turnaround,” he said.
Dale asked Griffin if he had any proof the town has been using the turnaround for 20 years, because if it has, it not only has a legal right but an obligation to maintain it.
Dale asked Griffin to check with some older citizens who might be able to verify it has been used for that length of time, or find some other proof and bring it back to the next meeting. Dale informed Belknap he also can provide evidence the turnaround has not been used for 20 years.
Should the selectmen determine it is a town turnaround, Belknap would have the right to appeal in court.
Stephenson property
Dale updated the selectmen on the Timothy Stephenson property on the Gleason Road just off Route 27. The town had won a consent order in court against Stephenson regarding junk on his property.
Stephenson was fined $25,000, although the order includes a “forgiveness clause.” The fine shrinks with each step of the cleanup Stephenson completes.
According to Dale, Stephenson has cleaned up a portion of his property and put up a gate, which he was required to do. However, there is still junk on the property. Dale recommended that a letter be sent to Stephenson’s attorney, Eliot Field, to see what Stephenson has planned for the property, and request a response before the next meeting.
DOT letter
Selectman Jack Sarmanian read a letter the town received from the Maine Department of Trasnsportation regarding the Oct. 1 inspection of the Eddy Road with representatives of the DOT, the selectmen, the road commissioner, and the fire chief.
According to DOT Regional Manager Michael Burns, the areas that were reviewed will be ditched during the 2015 work program. The winter sand removal from under the guardrails is already planned by DOT.
The embankment behind the guardrails on the shore side of the the road at the corner end of the cove will be investigated as it appears to be undercut by tidal and wave action. A plan of action will be determined after the investigation.
The DOT will also remove a gutter from one property so it will no longer drain into the the road.
Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner applications
Selectman Jessica Chubbuck announced that applications will be available for Salvation Army Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners from Oct. 27 through Dec. 4 on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. For an application, call Chubbuck at 841-4038.
(This article has been updated to include comments from The Coastal Dog owner Aleshia Norling.)
