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BAR HARBOR—The Bar Harbor Planning Board found a housing project by Bar Harbor RV, LLC for seven 1± acre lots off Sand Point Road complete, moved forward with a public hearing and continued that hearing until the board’s October 8 meeting.
The project totals 7.5 acres.
According to the application, “The subdivision will contain seven (7) subdivision lots served by private water and septic systems. Each single family home will be required to meet the Ireson Hill Residential District building requirements.”
Some neighbors expressed concern about certain lots, stating they were concerned about potential ecological and community impacts.
“Just last year, the town had to repair a section of Sand Point Road near my driveway due to storm-related erosion and drainage failure. These issues are already escalating due to climate change. Approving more development in this delicate area would only make things worse, by removing trees that anchor the soil and increasing runoff that could further erode the shoreline and nearby properties,” Jaclyn Oestreich wrote to the board in an August 8 letter. “Beyond the risk to our land and homes, I am deeply troubled by what this project means for local wildlife. The wooded areas along Sand Point Road are home to an abundance of species—deer, foxes, owls, songbirds, and small mammals all depend on this relatively untouched habitat to survive. Research shows that residential development causes habitat fragmentation, disrupts animal migration paths, and increases the risk of human-wildlife conflict. Even light and noise pollution from construction and new homes can interfere with nesting and feeding patterns, especially for birds and nocturnal animals.”
Richard Thompson, another neighbor, said that storm water runoff was a worry. He said he believed that intense rain events could overload the area despite the planned culvert and system.
“My concern is that if any of these septic systems should fail,” he said, adding that he believes it goes straight down into bedrock and other properties.
“It’s a huge change,” Thompson said of the proposal, which would allow for several new homes.
Neighbor Megan Loomer said she was concerned about the proposed right-of-way that would go behind her back yard. She bought her house in May and part of the reason she chose her house was because there was a forest going through her backyard.
It would be a shared driveway that would go through the right-of-way that would be wide enough for emergency vehicles and have a ditch on one side, so approximately 30-feet wide. The applicant representatives said they were trying to minimize the clearing needed.
Dority asked for the applicants to tell them the distance between the road and the existing houses at the October meeting.
ELECTION OF OFFICERS
The board unanimously re-elected Millard Dority as chair and Ruth Eveland as vice-chair and J. Clark Stivers as secretary. They all ran unopposed.
The Bar Harbor Story is generously sponsored by Fine Violins by David.
LINKS TO LEARN MORE
Bar Harbor Planning Board Chair Worries Delay in Moratorium Presentation Takes Time Away from Board’s Housing Work
Application Materials:
- To review application materials, please come into the Planning and Code Enforcement Office or call Hailey Bondy at 207-288-1783.
- Sketch Plan Application (posted 6.23.2025)
- Application (posted 6.23.2025)
- Sketch Plan Public Notice (posted 6.23.2025)
- Sketch Plan Staff Report (posted 7.17.2025)
- Completeness Review Notice (mailed 7.17.2025)
- Site Visit Notice (mailed 7.17.2025)
- Additional Material (posted 7/21/2025)
- Additional Material (posted 7/24/2025)
- Comment from an abutter (received 7.14.2025)
- Comment from an abutter (received 7.29.2025)
- Staff Report for Completeness Review (posted 7.30.2025)
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