PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — The Aroostook House of Comfort is one step closer to being a reality, following the Presque Isle Zoning Board of Appeal’s approval of a special exception to construct and operate a hospice facility at 255 Caribou Road within the Agricultural Farm Zone.
Mike MacPherson, vice president of the Aroostook Hospice Foundation, reviewed the A-R form with the board and stated that the Foundation hoped to be able to construct a six-bed facility. The A-R form is a questionnaire applicants are asked to complete, which provides the board with details on the proposed project, including information such as placement of lighting, parking, waste water disposal and any issues of concern.
Owners of abutting property, Roberta Barnes and Mark Carney, were notified of the meeting by certified mail, with Barnes attending and making her opposition to the proposed hospice facility known.
Barnes, in a phone conversation after the meeting, said the site was “not buildable because it’s sinking and is on a downgrade from cropland.” She noted that “hazardous waste from the facility would pollute the pond down back,” and that having a “medical facility in an agricultural/residential zone is a bad idea.”
“I’m not opposed to a hospice, but not here. This will cause land value to go down,” said Barnes.
A self-described naturalist who moved here from Massachusetts to be “closer to nature,” she said building the hospice facility on the proposed site would be “detrimental to wildlife in the neighborhood.”
“This will have biohazardous material everywhere. I opposed the bypass. We have eagles, rare birds, moose, deer, bear. Aroostook County should be preserved as is — big business brings pollution,” Barnes said. “There’s no way … anyone with a medical facility should be on this road, due to water issues. It won’t work. They know it but they don’t care. It’s business as usual in Presque Isle for anyone with a little bit of money.”
“I feel like I’m not getting a fair shake. The Zoning Board should never have given the special exception. No one explained (how they’d handle) septic, noise, pollution. They all entered the meeting as if they were martini ready,” said Barnes. “The board didn’t listen to me.”
Barnes said she expected within six months of the structure being built to see trees she’s planted over the years dying off.
“Within six months the trees will be rotted at the roots, from the drainage. There’ll be a lot of drugs used there, being flushed down toilets. That water seeps into the ground, which will then leach and kill plants and animals alike,” said Barnes.
“I bought my property because it was peaceful. If the hospice house goes in, there’ll be crying, people coming and going at all hours, crime will go up with people breaking in for the drugs, drugs will leach into the ground, lights will be on 24/7, there’ll be more traffic including hearses,” said Barnes.
Larry Perry, who served as chair for the Sept. 9 meeting, said he understood Barnes had concerns but told her the board has to follow the law.
“We followed the law, reviewing the A-R form. All responses met Zoning Board guidelines, which resulted in our approving the special exception. If Ms. Barnes wishes to, she can appeal our decision to the Supreme Court,” said Perry.
Perry said in reviewing the form, MacPherson’s responses were within the scope of law, including how the facility would dispose of hazardous materials using proper storage containers, a septic system would be installed, there would be no changes to the vista/wildlife habitat in the area and erosion control and drainage would be addressed by the architects handling the project.
“We gave her three opportunities to speak. We listened to her concerns. We can only interpret, not change, the law. They (the Foundation) met all the requirements. If she disagrees she can go to the Superior Court to appeal,” said Perry. “We approved the special exception because we felt they’d met the standard of the law.”
