Resolve, Directing the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry To Convey Certain Lands to Roosevelt Conference Center Doing Business as Eagle Lake Sporting Camps
Maine Legislature, Session 129, LD 0125
Committee: Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry
Sponsors: MARTIN, BLACK, McCREA, STEWART, DAVIS

Legislative Document
No. 125
H.P. 107
House of Representatives, January 17, 2019
Resolve, Directing the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and 
Forestry To Convey Certain Lands to Roosevelt Conference Center 
Doing Business as Eagle Lake Sporting Camps
Reference to the Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry suggested and 
ordered printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative MARTIN of Sinclair.
Cosponsored by Senator BLACK of Franklin and
Representatives: McCREA of Fort Fairfield, STEWART of Presque Isle, Senator: DAVIS of 
Piscataquis.
Preamble.  The Constitution of Maine, Article IX, Section 23 requires that real 
estate held by the State for conservation or recreation purposes may not be reduced or its 
uses substantially altered except on the vote of 2/3 of all members elected to each House.
Whereas, certain real estate authorized for conveyance under this resolve is under 
the designations described in the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 12, section 598-A; and
Whereas, the Director of the Bureau of Parks and Lands within the Department of 
Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry may sell or exchange lands with the approval of 
the Legislature in accordance with Title 12, sections 1837 and 1851; and
Whereas, Aroostook County has experienced significant economic reductions over 
the last 20 years, with an unemployment rate higher than the state average, an aging 
workforce and a declining population; and
Whereas, an existing business, Eagle Lake Sporting Camps, established in 1889 and 
located on Eagle Lake Public Reserve Lands east of Route 11, desires to invest 
significantly in its business to grow into a year-round operation and to upgrade facilities 
and improve amenities, thus stimulating the economy, creating jobs and increasing local 
and state tax revenues; and
Whereas, such investment would not be feasible nor would such a commitment be 
made without the acquisition of fee simple ownership of sufficient land to develop and 
expand the business and without the lease of additional adjoining land to support a 
modern wilderness destination resort; and
Whereas, the subject land is now used as a developed commercial sporting camp 
property, and no vital conservation land or wildlife habitat nor outdoor recreation 
opportunities, such as hunting and fishing, are affected by the change in land ownership, 
and the investment permitted by this conveyance would increase access and opportunities 
for public use of the Eagle Lake Public Reserve Lands; now, therefore, be it
Sec. 1.  Director of the Bureau of Parks and Lands to convey certain land 
in T16 R6.  Resolved:  That the Director of the Bureau of Parks and Lands within the 
Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry, referred to in this resolve as "the 
director," shall convey, by quitclaim deed without covenant and at appraised fair market 
value agreed to jointly by the director and the purchaser, to Roosevelt Conference Center, 
doing business as Eagle Lake Sporting Camps, and its successors and assigns, the land 
described in the lease of land in Township 16, Range 6 current as of the effective date of 
this resolve from the State to Eagle Lake Sporting Camps and such additional contiguous 
land as agreed to by the director and the purchaser to the east of the leased land for a total 
of 12.86 acres, subject to the State's retaining or withholding any rights to subdivide the 
land conveyed.  In addition, the director shall convey to Eagle Lake Sporting Camps, for 
the appraised fair market value agreed to jointly by the director and the purchaser, an 
access right-of-way that is no greater than 66 feet wide along the service road to the 
Square Lake Road.  The conveyance of the right-of-way must include conditions that 
allow Eagle Lake Sporting Camps to maintain the road and make road improvements 
after acquiring prior written approval from the State.  The conveyances required by this 
section must contain conditions granting the State the right of first refusal, within 90 days 
following notice by Eagle Lake Sporting Camps of intent to transfer the land or the 
right-of-way, to reacquire the parcel and the right-of-way at the appraised fair market 
value agreed to jointly by the director and the purchaser, if the use of the land for a 
year-round sporting camp or Class A restaurant, as defined in the Maine Revised Statutes, 
Title 28-A, section 2, subsection 15, and lodge open to the public is discontinued or if 
Eagle Lake Sporting Camps fails to maintain appropriate licenses to conduct those 
activities from the Department of Health and Human Services.
If the director intends to lease any land to Eagle Lake Sporting Camps other than that 
required by this resolve, the director shall provide an opportunity for and consider 
comments regarding public access to the Eagle Lake Public Reserve Lands from 
representatives authorized by the Town of Eagle Lake.
SUMMARY
This resolve requires the Director of the Bureau of Parks and Lands within the 
Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry to convey to Roosevelt 
Conference Center, doing business as Eagle Lake Sporting Camps, a 12.86-acre parcel of 
land in Township 16, Range 6.  The resolve requires the director to sell the land at fair 
market value and to retain or withhold any rights to subdivide.  The director is also 
required by the resolve to convey to Eagle Lake Sporting Camps a right-of-way along the 
service road to the Square Lake Road for appraised fair market value.  The resolve also 
stipulates that the State must retain a right of first refusal to reacquire the parcel and 
right-of-way from the owner if the use of the parcel for a year-round sporting camp or 
Class A restaurant and lodge is discontinued or appropriate licenses are not maintained.