Source: http://www.mainelegislature.org/legis/statutes/38/title38sec1022.html
Timestamp: 2013-05-25 03:07:13
Document Index: 302140195

Matched Legal Cases: ['§1022', '§1022', '§36', '§22', '§40', '§207', '§2', '§22', '§2', '§2', '§4', '§1', '§36']

Title 38, §1022: License to build or extend; application
Chapter 9: WHARVES AND FISH WEIRS
§1022. License to build or extend; application
Any person intending to build or extend any wharf, fish weir or trap in tidewaters, within the limits of any city or town,
shall apply in writing to the municipal officers of the city or town, stating the location of the weir, the boundaries of
the cove in which the weir will be constructed as identified on a map prepared by the Commissioner of Marine Resources, limits
and boundaries, as nearly as may be, of the intended erection or extension, and asking license for the intended erection or
extension. The applicant must notify all parties that may be directly affected by the proposed construction. Upon receiving
an application, the officers shall give at least 3 days' public notice of the application in a newspaper, published in the
town, or, if there is no newspaper published in the town, in a newspaper published within the county, and shall designate
in the notice a day and time on which they or their designee will meet on or near the premises described, to examine the same
and hear all parties interested. If, following such examination and hearing of all parties interested, the officers decide
that such erection or extension would not be an obstruction to navigation or injury to the rights of others, and determine
to allow the same, they shall issue a license under their hands to the applicant, authorizing the applicant to make such an
erection or extension, and to maintain the same within the limits mentioned in such license. The applicant for license to
build or extend a fish weir or trap shall first give bond to the town, with sureties, in the sum of $5,000, conditioned that
upon the termination of such license the applicant removes all stakes and brush from the location therein described. The municipal officers shall, within 10 days after the date of
hearing, give written notice by mail of their decision to all parties interested. Any person aggrieved by the decision of
the municipal officers, in either granting or refusing to grant a license as provided, may appeal to the Superior Court within
10 days after the mailing of such written notice. The court shall set a time and place for hearing and give notice thereof
in the same manner as provided for a hearing before the municipal officers. The decision of the court must be communicated to the appellant and to the municipal officers of the town in which the proposed wharf, weir or trap is to be located. This
decision is binding on the municipal officers, who shall issue a license, if so directed by the decision of the court, within
3 days after the decision has been communicated to them. If the appeal is sustained by the court in whole or in part, the
appellant will have costs against the appellee. If the appeal is not so sustained, the appellee will have costs against the
appellant. If any owner to whom a license has been issued or the owner's heirs or assigns fail to remove all stakes and brush within a period of one year after the termination of the license, as provided in section
1023, any person can remove the same without charge against the owner or the owner's heirs or assigns. [2011, c. 559, Pt. A, §36 (AMD).]
In the case of islands not within the jurisdiction of any town all powers of municipal officers to issue licenses to build
weirs are conferred upon the owner or owners of such islands. If said owner or owners are unable to agree as to the issuance
of a license they shall submit the question of such issuance to the Commissioner of Marine Resources, who shall, after a hearing
at which all parties may be represented, decide as to the issuance of such license. [1973, c. 513, §22 (AMD).]
In the case of waters adjacent to unorganized or deorganized territory that is not an island, the Commissioner of Marine Resources
shall have the powers of municipal officers to issue licenses under this section. Notwithstanding the provisions of this section
governing procedures, the Commissioner of Marine Resources shall review the application and hold a hearing as if this were
a lease application under Title 12, section 6072, subsections 5 and 6. [1989, c. 890, Pt. A, §40 (AFF); 1989, c. 890, Pt. B, §207 (AMD).]
Any licenses issued under this chapter shall constitute an approval and determination by the issuer thereof that the licensed
wharf or weir constructed and operated within the limits imposed by such license does not adversely affect nor impair the
interests of the issuer in such area, including navigation and the rights of private citizens in the area. Such license does
not confer any right, title or interest in submerged or intertidal lands owned by the State. [1975, c. 287, §2 (NEW).]
1973, c. 513, §22 (AMD). 1975, c. 287, §2 (AMD). 1979, c. 631, §2 (AMD). 1983, c. 731, §4 (AMD). 1989, c. 890, §§A40,B206, 207 (AMD). 1999, c. 215, §1 (AMD). 2011, c. 559, Pt. A, §36 (AMD). Data for this page extracted on 10/16/2012 08:31:15. The Revisor's Office cannot provide legal advice or