2023 Maine Revised Statutes › TITLE 38: WATERS AND NAVIGATION › Chapter 6: SACO RIVER CORRIDOR › 38 §962. General performance standards

§962. General performance standards
1.  Standards.
Unless otherwise specified, the following performance standards shall be applicable to all uses of land and water areas within the corridor, whether or not a permit is required from the commission.
A. No building may be located closer to the Ossipee, Little Ossipee or Saco rivers than 100 feet from the normal or mean high water line, nor may any building in the Limited Residential or Resource Protection Districts be located less than 30 feet from any accepted road. Within the Resource Protection and Limited Residential Districts there may be no construction or placement of residential structures within the 100-year floodplain.   [PL 1995, c. 171, §11 (AMD).]
B. Within the Resource Protection District or Limited Residential District no part of a septic system or other system of underground sewage disposal shall be located within the 100-year floodplain.   [PL 1979, c. 459, §1 (NEW).]
C. On the Ossipee and Little Ossipee Rivers and fresh-water portions of the Saco River:
(1) No privately-owned pier, dock or float shall extend more than 10% of the width of the river at any time or extend into the water more than 10 feet perpendicular to the shore, whichever is less; and
(2) All piers, docks or floats shall be temporary and capable of seasonal removal.   [PL 1979, c. 459, §1 (NEW).]
D. Agriculture.
(1) All agriculture practices must be in conformance with existing state and federal laws and regulations relating to the use of insecticides, herbicides, fertilizers and cleaning agents, and with state and federal laws and regulations to the placement of disposal of wastes in waterways or on the banks thereof.
(2) Where soil is tilled, an untilled buffer strip of natural vegetation must be retained between the tilled ground and the normal or mean high water line of the river. The width of this strip must be a minimum of 25 feet, measured directly from the normal or mean high water line of the river.
(3) Newly created fields and tillage and grazing operations must be set back from the normal or mean high water line at least 75 feet.   [PL 1995, c. 171, §11 (AMD).]
E.   [PL 1995, c. 171, §12 (RP).]
E-1. Within a strip extending 100 feet inland from the normal or mean high water line, there may be no cleared opening or openings, except for approved construction, and a well-distributed stand of vegetation must be retained. Selective cutting of no more than 40% of the trees 4 inches or more in diameter, measured at 4 1/2 feet above ground level, is allowed in any 10-year period, provided that a well-distributed stand of trees and other natural vegetation remains.   [PL 1995, c. 171, §13 (NEW).]
F. The following standards govern timber harvesting within 250 feet of the normal or mean high water line of any water body within the corridor.
(1) Harvesting operations must be conducted in such a manner that a well-distributed stand of trees is retained.
(2) In any stand, harvesting may remove not more than 40% of the volume of trees 6 inches in diameter and larger, measured at 4 1/2 feet above ground level in any 10-year period.
(3) No significant accumulation of slash may be left within 50 feet of the normal or mean high water line of any water body within the corridor. At distances greater than 50 feet from the normal or mean high water line of such water bodies extending to the limits of the corridor, all slash must be disposed of in such a manner that it lies on the ground and no part thereof extends more than 4 feet above the ground.
(4) Harvesting operations must be conducted in such a manner and at such a time that minimal soil disturbance results. Adequate provision must be made to prevent soil erosion and sedimentation of surface waters.   [PL 1995, c. 171, §14 (AMD).]
G. The minimum lot size for each residential dwelling unit is 40,000 square feet and the minimum lot size for any principal commercial structure is 60,000 square feet.   [PL 1995, c. 171, §15 (NEW).]
H. Principal or accessory structures and expansions of existing structures that are permitted in the Resource Protection and Limited Residential Districts may not exceed 35 feet in height. This paragraph does not apply to structures such as transmission towers, windmills, antennas and similar structures having no floor area.   [PL 1995, c. 171, §15 (NEW).]
[PL 1995, c. 171, §§11-15 (AMD).]
SECTION HISTORY
PL 1979, c. 459, §1 (NEW). PL 1995, c. 171, §§11-15 (AMD).