SOUTH PORTLAND — Residents of South Portland who are interested in weighing in on the organization of open space parcels in the city are invited to join the Open Space Implementation Committee on June 30.
The meeting will begin at 6:30 p.m. and will take place over Zoom. The link is zoom.us/j/99429348473.
Tasked with assigning nearly 140 city parcels of land to three different tiers, the Open Space Implementation Committee wishes to know what the public thinks about the committee’s recommendations, said Chair Sharon Newman.
Susan Henderson of South Portland walks with her dog Serenia at Bug Light Park in South Portland in April. Gregory Rec photo/Press Herald
The municipal properties can be found throughout neighborhoods in the city, said an announcement from the committee. Tier 1 would include city parks, like Bug Light Park. Tier 2 would be properties that have potential for development, and Tier 3 are properties unsuitable for developing.
According to a press release, “The OSIC was created when the South Portland Open Space Plan was approved by city council on Aug. 13, 2019 and appended to the city’s 2012 comprehensive plan. Section 9 of the Open Space Plan outlines an implementation process, with the Conservation Commission overseeing implementation of the plan.”
Newman said that the committee found it important to ask the public for its opinion before submitting the final decision to the city council for voting.
“People can use this process to figure out what are the city-owned properties,” Newman said. “If they have something in their neighborhood that they care about, they should make sure this is protected and let us know.”
There is also a survey (www.southportland.org/our-city/board-and-committees/open-space-implementation-committee) that residents can take until July 15, Newman said. The survey also provides a full list of the committee’s tier recommendations.
“All residents and stakeholders are encouraged to attend this meeting to learn about the tier process and to provide the OSIC with input,” said the release. “Residents are the ones who understand the value of each open space parcel located in their respective neighborhoods. Their input and opinions are invaluable to planning efforts and the protection of the limited open spaces left in our city.”
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