Conservation and Sustainable-Development Organizations Raise Concerns About the Development Proposed on Great Diamond Island Within Reserved Natural Areas

Conservation Law Foundation, Island Institute, Friends of Casco Bay, and Maine Audubon Ask City of Portland, ME Officials to Reconsider Rezoning Petition

Concerns about potential threats to water quality, quality of island life, and natural areas designated as "open space" on Great Diamond Island have prompted conservation and sustainable-development organizations to ask the City of Portland, ME, to uphold the agreements that allowed the original development of Diamond Cove to move forward nearly 20 years ago.

The Conservation Law Foundation, Island Institute, Friends of Casco Bay, and Maine Audubon have filed documents requesting Portland officials strictly scrutinize the impacts on the environment and existing community of the rezoning petition by a development group locally represented by David Bateman and backed by Hart Hotels, a hospitality management company based in Buffalo, New York. They join The Friends of Great Diamond Island in challenging the commercial hotel project proposed on Great Diamond Island in Casco Bay, part of the City of Portland, Maine.

Through an amendment to the IR-3 residential zone on the island, Bateman's group seeks to develop a hotel with 36 rentable units offering approximately 70 beds in total in the Fort McKinley Parade Ground historic district, a central geographic feature of the Diamond Cove residential community on Great Diamond Island. The development also would have a swimming pool and service bar constructed in an area currently dedicated as open space. The developer also is seeking approval for a second-stage development of a separate historic building, which would increase the capacity of the hotel by up to 24 rentable units (approximately 45 additional beds).

"Maine Audubon has significant concerns about this potential zoning change to allow development within an area currently designated as 'open space,' which is reserved as natural, undeveloped area that benefits people and wildlife," said Jennifer Burns Gray, Maine Audubon staff attorney and advocate. "The amendment is contrary to the 1989 legal agreement (signed by Diamond Cove Associates, Conservation Law Foundation, Maine Audubon and the Island Institute) addressing development on the northern portion of Great Diamond Island and reflects comprehensive negotiations designed to protect the natural and cultural environment of Great Diamond Island. We need to preserve the integrity of the 1989 agreement."

Residents of Great Diamond Island have voiced concerns over the proposed commercial development in the quiet residential neighborhood as being overtly and blatantly investment-driven and not having anything to do with the concept of a "neighborhood" or an "island way of life."

"Great Diamond Island, perhaps more than any other island off the Maine coast, has been the focus of intense redevelopment. Islanders have been remarkably flexible when considering the scope of what they have faced to date," says Rob Snyder, vice president of programs for the Island Institute.

"The preservation of sense of place and quality of life becomes very real when one considers some aspects of island life that residents would like to preserve. They enjoy the peace and quiet that island life can afford residents. They enjoy the security that comes with knowing the people who live around them. They enjoy the environmental beauty that only island residents and those who regularly visit the island can comprehend," Snyder said. "The Island Institute is concerned that the proposed development will seriously undermine these aspects of island life that have come to define the unique nature of Great Diamond Island."

"I think that a lot of people have sat on the sidelines for a while expecting that common sense would prevail and that this commercial hotel project would fail on its own accord," says Bill Robitzek, head of The Friends of Great Diamond Island and a resident of the island. "As the project has progressed, it has become clear that the protections to guard our island culture and way of life -- agreed to by the City as well as many oversight groups -- are being ignored in favor of the quest for more commercial development and tax revenues in the City. Now, you are seeing a backlash that is growing, and that seeks to hold the City and other parties to the letter of the law and their promises and commitments to preserve island life."

"It is important that the new development proposed for Great Diamond Island meet the spirit as well as the letter of the 1989 agreement," says Sean ahoney, vice president and director of the Conservation Law Foundation.

"Friends of Casco Bay is concerned about the impact on water quality of Casco Bay from an expansion of Great Diamond Island's already antiquated sewage treatment infrastructure," says Cathy Ramsdell, Executive Director of Friends of Casco Bay/Casco Baykeeper. "A project of this size may have a major impact not just on Great Diamond Island, but across the entire Bay. Clearly, there are still many unanswered questions here, and it's premature to approve this project until we've seen a complete, thoughtful and detailed analysis of the project to ensure that it will in no way degrade the water quality of Casco Bay. We are concerned that the capacity and stress of the development will add to the existing system and will exceed its capability."

"This island is worth fighting for," says Diamond Cove resident Faith Boudreau. "There are so many things wrong with how this is proceeding, from the possibility of cutting old growth forest to taking open space, altering our island rental policies to stressing our already burdened infrastructure, and more. It's just mind-boggling how many corners are being swept under the rug here for the sake of pushing through a commercial enterprise that the majority of resident islanders don't want. The City of Portland should be protecting island life and not threatening it."

The Friends of Great Diamond Island group has filed its first lawsuit asking the courts to decide whether the City of Portland had legal standing to cast 23 votes in a crucial Diamond Cove homeowner amendment vote in 2007. The vote asked residents to amend the Covenants governing their private development -- specifically to allow a large commercial hotel enterprise in the center of a residential, pedestrian island neighborhood. The motion passed by only a few votes. The suit is pending in the Superior Court of the State of Maine in Portland. More actions are expected.

About The Friends of Great Diamond Island

The Friends of Great Diamond Island is an advocacy group composed of homeowners living in both the private Ft. McKinley Historic District known as Diamond Cove, as well as the public "Cottage Community" of the island. The group has raised funds to promote and protect the island culture on Great Diamond Island.

About The Island Institute

The Island Institute is a membership-based community development organization focusing on the Gulf of Maine, particularly the fifteen year-round island communities off the Maine coast. More information can be found at: www.islandinstitute.org.

About The Conservation Law Foundation

The Conservation Law Foundation works to solve the environmental problems that threaten the people, natural resources and communities of New England. CLF's advocates use law, economics and science to design and implement strategies that conserve natural resources, protect public health, and promote vital communities in our region. Founded in 1966, CLF is a nonprofit, member-supported organization. It has offices in Boston, assachusetts; Concord, New Hampshire; Providence, Rhode Island; ontpelier, Vermont; and Brunswick, Maine. More information can be found at: www.clf.org.

About Maine Audubon

aine Audubon works to conserve Maine's wildlife and wildlife habitat by engaging people of all ages in education, conservation and action. For more than 160 years, Maine Audubon has been connecting people with nature and leading science-based conservation in major projects across the state. An independently funded and operated affiliate of National Audubon Society, Inc., Maine Audubon has seven local chapters, 10 nature centers and sanctuaries, and 11,000 members and supporters. More information can be found at: www.maineaudubon.org.

About Friends of Casco Bay

Since 1989, Friends of Casco Bay/Casco BAYKEEPER® has been working to improve and protect the environmental health of Casco Bay through advocacy, education, collaborative partnerships, water quality monitoring, and other scientific research. For more information, visit www.cascobay.org.