An Act To Amend the Boundaries of the Capitol Area
Maine Legislature, Session 127, LD 1390
Committee: State and Local Government
Sponsors: WILLETTE, TURNER, KATZ, BRYANT, DOORE, FOWLE, POULIOT
Amends: 1 MRSA §814

Legislative Document 
No. 1390 
S.P. 516 
In Senate, May 6, 2015 
An Act To Amend the Boundaries of the Capitol Area 
(EMERGENCY) 
Reference to the Committee on State and Local Government suggested and ordered printed. 
HEATHER J.R. PRIEST 
Secretary of the Senate 
Presented by Senator WILLETTE of Aroostook.  (GOVERNOR'S BILL) 
Cosponsored by Representative TURNER of Burlington and 
Senator: KATZ of Kennebec, Representatives: BRYANT of Windham, DOORE of Augusta, 
FOWLE of Vassalboro, McLEAN of Gorham, POULIOT of Augusta. 
Emergency preamble. Whereas, acts and resolves of the Legislature do not 
become effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted as emergencies; and 
Whereas, the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 5, chapter 14-A established the policy, 
composition and duties of the Capitol Planning Commission for the purpose of 
developing effective planning to accommodate the needs of a growing State Government; 
and 
Whereas, the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 1, section 814, subsection 2 delineates 
the boundaries of the Capitol Area within the City of Augusta over which the Capitol 
Planning Commission has planning jurisdiction; and 
Whereas, since 1920 the Department of Transportation has owned and occupied a 
9-acre parcel of land on the northerly side of Capitol Street known as the motor transport 
property for use as a highway maintenance facility; and 
Whereas, due to the functional obsolescence of the motor transport property, the 
Department of Transportation recently relocated its highway maintenance operations to a 
modern facility elsewhere in Augusta and now desires to sell the motor transport 
property; and  
Whereas, the motor transport property is located within the Capitol Area boundaries 
and is subject to the agency rules established by the Capitol Planning Commission that 
govern the use and development of Capitol Area property; and   
Whereas, sale of the motor transport property has been impeded by the conditions 
and restrictions imposed by Capitol Planning Commission rules, which originally 
envisioned the site for use as a state office building or parking garage; and 
Whereas, the need for a new state office building or state parking garage has been 
eliminated due to the extensive renovation of both of the existing facilities in recent 
years; and 
Whereas, the motor transport property is now vacant, deteriorating and creating 
potentially detrimental health, safety and environmental conditions; and 
Whereas, removal of the motor transport property from Capitol Planning 
Commission restrictions as soon as possible is necessary to enhance the property's 
marketability, expedite its sale and eliminate its current industrial use in favor of the 
development of a commercial, mixed-use site that will augment the City of Augusta's tax 
base and contribute to the overall aesthetic of the Capitol Area's West Campus; and 
Whereas, in the judgment of the Legislature, these facts create an emergency within 
the meaning of the Constitution of Maine and require the following legislation as 
immediately necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health and safety; now, 
therefore, 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1.  1 MRSA §814, sub-§2, ¶A, as enacted by PL 1991, c. 824, Pt. A, §1, is 
amended to read: 
A.    The west side of the Kennebec River as follows: Beginning at the intersection of 
the easterly westerly line of Florence Sewall Street with the northerly line of Capitol 
Street; thence easterly westerly along said northerly line of Capitol Street to a point 
of 150 feet westerly of opposite the intersection of the westerly line of Federal Street 
projected northerly across said Capitol Street and said northerly the southerly line of 
Capitol Street; thence southerly continuing westerly along the northerly line of said 
Capitol Street 150 feet to a point; thence southerly across Capitol Street and 
continuing southerly parallel to said westerly line of Federal Street about 800 feet to 
Kennedy Brook; thence following the thread of the stream generally easterly to its 
intersection with the northerly property line of the land of the State of Maine, being 
part of the Motor Vehicles premises; thence westerly about 60 feet along said 
property line; thence southerly along said property line about 155 feet; thence 
easterly along said property line about 140 feet; thence southerly along said property 
line about 120 feet to the northerly line of Manley Street; thence diagonally and 
southwesterly across Manley Street to its intersection with the northwesterly corner 
of other land of the State of Maine; thence southerly along said property line 
extended to the northerly line of Glenwood Street; thence along said Glenwood Street 
easterly to the westerly line of State Street; thence northerly along said State Street 
about 150 feet to a point opposite the northerly line of Britt Street; thence across State 
Street and along the northerly line of said Britt Street easterly to its intersection with 
property of Augusta Sanitary District; thence northerly and easterly as said property 
line may run to its intersection with the Kennebec River; thence along said river 
northerly as the same may run to its intersection with the southerly line of Highway 
Route 201; thence southwesterly along said highway line, as the same may run, to the 
easterly line of State Street at its intersection with Memorial Traffic Circle; thence 
across State Street in a northwesterly direction to the southeasterly line of Grove 
Street at its intersection with Memorial Traffic Circle; thence southwesterly along 
said Grove Street to the northerly line of Higgins Street; thence across Grove Street; 
thence southerly along Grove Street to its intersection with the northerly line of Wade 
Street; thence westerly about 400 feet in a straight line along Wade Street and its 
northerly line extended to the westerly line of Sewall Street; thence southerly along 
Sewall Street to the northerly line of Wade Street where it intersects the westerly line 
of Sewall Street; thence westerly along the northerly line of Wade Street and thence 
continuing in a straight line westerly and parallel to Capitol Street to the easterly line 
of Florence Street; thence southerly along Florence Street to the point of beginning; 
and 
Emergency clause.  In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, this 
legislation takes effect when approved. 
SUMMARY 
This bill redefines the boundaries of the Capitol Area to exclude property located 
northerly of Capitol Street and westerly of Sewall Street in the City of Augusta.  The 
greater part of the property excluded by this bill is occupied by the Department of 
Transportation's former motor transport facility.  This bill will expedite the sale of the 
motor transport property by removing some of the restrictions imposed by the Capitol 
Planning Commission and making the property more attractive to potential business 
developers.