Letters to the Editor
An Open Letter to McLean Hospital Board, by Robert P. Collins The Pen Bay Pilot, 4/2/14 Open letter to the Board of Trustees and President of McLean Hospital, Board of Fellows and President of Harvard University and Board of Trustees and President, Massachusetts General Hospital. Please Don't Insult Us, by Louisa Enright The Pen Bay Pilot, 3/27/14 CLAs are a necessary part of the fabric of every community, and we need more of them. The problem we have is that what Fox Hill/ McLean is proposing is NOT a CLA. What Exactly Are You Fox Hill?, by Carla Ferguson The Pen Bay Pilot, 3/24/14 As much as Fox Hill insists that the plan is legal, there is no precedent for their request. Overnight they have turned a local zoning debate into a statewide concern. Speak softly and carry a big stick, by Deb Dodge The Pen Bay Pilot, 3/19/14 We don't believe FHRE has found a “compromise.” We do believe they are circumventing local zoning and oversight in an end-run around the Camden voters. Camden at Risk of Losing Identity, by Felicity Ferrell The Pen Bay Pilot, 3/17/14 What stands in the way of a local bed and breakfasts deciding to rent out only eight of their rooms at a higher rate, and cash in on this gravy train? Fox Hill's Shameful Claim of Federal Protection, David & Faith Hague The Pen Bay Pilot, 3/13/14 Forcing this into our residential neighborhoods does not advance treatment, it only enriches a small group investors at the expense of the character of our town. Still Walks Like A Duck, Citizens of Camden for Responsible Zoning The Pen Bay Pilot, 3/8/14 FHRE: why, after our town’s elected officials said “No” are you pressing ahead with plans? Why not play by the rules and look at our many commercial properties? Steve Reddy DBA Maine Sober House The Village Soup, 3/6/14 My investors and I thought that if they can open their facility without town approval, well, why shouldn't we cash in on this marvelous opportunity? Just Because They Say It Doesn’t Make It True The Pen Bay Pilot, 3/4/14 The Dunes in Long Island, New York used this same tactic four years ago and is now operating a large commercial enterprise smack in the middle of a residential neighborhood. A Rezone Will Cost Us All, Citizens of Camden for Responsible Zoning The Pen Bay Pilot, 2/26/14 Fox Hill Real Estate’s request for a special exception to our laws will cost every single Camden taxpayer. Remember Jay Walking? from Frank Long The Pen Bay Pilot, 2/21/14 What I heard at the Select Board meeting was a commanding voice from those in attendance the entire Fox Hill plan was not wanted. It wasn’t even close; it was a landslide. Letters to the Camden Herald, from citizens and editors The Village Soup, 2/20/14 Nine letters to the Editor of the Camden Herald on the subject of Fox Hill and the Select Board's vote. So Misleading It’s Embarrassing, by Carla Ferguson The Pen Bay Pilot, 2/20/14 Fox Hill Real Estate's new advertisement: "Fox Hill / McLean Jobs and Wellness for All" is so misleading it’s embarrassing. If you like your home in Camden, Philip Fowler The Pen Bay Pilot, 2/18/14 Legally, a town granting spot zoning in a residential zone for one commercial drug and alcohol rehabilitation facility cannot deny anyone else who wishes an exception, for almost any use. Protect Property Values, by Charlie & Julie Cawley The Pen Bay Pilot, 2/17/14 We fear that allowing a drug rehabilitation facility to open in the heart of our residential area threatens the stability of Camden’s property values, not necessarily the one McLeans has proposed, but the others that will inevitably follow. A Misleading Editorial, from Bob Collins The Pen Bay Pilot, 2/15/14 I believe that the Camden Herald’s Editorial Board erred in its February 13th piece entitled “An Anti-climatic End?” by confusing issues. An Objection to the Camden Herald Editorial, from Jeff & Deb Dodge The Pen Bay Pilot, 2/14/14 We are writing to object to the opinion piece published in the Camden Herald on February 13 regarding the Fox Hill proposal. It is clear that the editors have a bias in favor of rezoning the property. A Dangerous Precedent, by Dyke Messler Village Soup, 2/12/14 If one exception is allowed what is to prevent the domino effect? Someone else could argue that “you did it there, why not here?" And it wouldn’t apply just to rehab centers. Thank You, Citizens of Camden for Responsible Zoning The Pen Bay Pilot, 2/6/14 We wish to thank the Select Board for their courage, clear thinking and wise decision-making regarding the proposed rezoning for Fox Hill. We Are Appalled, Citizens of Camden for Responsible Zoning The Pen Bay Pilot, 2/2/14 It has come to our attention that the Fox Hill investors hired canvassers to go door-to-door in an effort to preempt the Select Board decision this Tuesday, February 4th. Don't Risk a Lawsuit, from Philip D. Fowler, III Village Soup, 1/30/14 The purpose of this letter is to implore the Camden Select Board not to follow the same path as the Portland City Council did with the Williston-West Church. The Buck Stops with Selectmen, from Parker S. Laite Sr. Village Soup, 1/30/14 The buck stops with you five elected representatives — I'm confident you'll all do the right thing and reject this proposal! Just Say'n, by Roy Marshall The Free Press, 1/30/14 And then this new big company in Camden packed up and left town, leaving their employees with mortgages to pay on their homes and vehicles. Not to mention the unemployment rate went up. Select Board, Please Vote NO, Citizens of Camden for Responsible Zoning The Pen Bay Pilot, 1/28/14 Please be guided by your sense of duty and conscience and vote NO on February 4. Please Consider The Process, from Rachel McCleary & Robert Barro The Pen Bay Pilot, 1/26/14 We urge the Select Board to make a decision on behalf of the very people who elected it to do so. Zoning Changes and Our New Comprehensive Plan, from Dorie Klein The Pen Bay Pilot, 1/24/14 I offer a suggestion in the spirit of compromise. Let’s delay any decision on the rezoning of Fox Hill until we have updated our Comprehensive Plan. It is Not Just About Fox Hill, by Dana Strout The Free Press, 1/22/14 Ask yourselves these questions: what has McLean Hospital promised in the way of jobs? Nothing. What has McLean promised in the way of what it will spend in town? Nothing. What has McLean promised for outreach to our schools? Nothing. Has McLean signed a lease? No. Is the treatment facility at Fox Hill for Camdenites? Again, No. Fox Hill Proposal, Camden, Rachel McCleary and Robert Barro The Free Press, 1/22/14 If the majority of Selectmen oppose the proposal, the board must reject it. If a majority approve of the proposal, the board must recommend its adoption in June. A Letter from the Cawleys The Pen Bay Pilot, 1/22/14 Please let’s protect the intangible aspects of our neighborhoods and community that draw people from around the world to visit a place we are lucky enough to call home. Dear Select Board, by Parker S. Laite, Sr. The Pen Bay Pilot, 1/21/14 The average citizens hasn’t and won’t ever take the time to learn what is in our approved zoning, let alone the far reaching implications of this rather dramatic proposed change. That’s your job. Let's Come To Our Senses, by Deb Dodge The Pen Bay Pilot, 1/19/14 Camden, let’s come to our senses and stop this already lengthy debate. It cannot win in court. Let's not pit the town against its residents in a lawsuit and squander the wonderful sense of community we have, not to mention our time and money, on a process with a foregone conclusion. We Are Fortunate, by David & Faith Hague The Pen Bay Pilot, 1/17/14 We are fortunate: a Superior Court judge has just saved our town a lot of time and headaches in her December 31st ruling on a rezoning case in Portland’s West End. Inaccurate & Misleading, from 13 citizens The Free Press, 1/16/14 Your January 9 article "Fox Hill Rehab Proposal Approved by Planning Board" is a completely inaccurate and misleading article in every respect. Portland Rezoning Case Offers Lessons The Pen Bay Pilot, 1/14/14 This ruling provides a legal precedence for Camden to vote against allowing the proposed drug and alcohol facility to locate in a residential neighborhood. Like the Portland case, the Fox Hill proposal should be considered illegal spot zoning. A Letter from 26 Local Realtors The Pen Bay Pilot, 12/12/13 People purchase homes in Camden because they appreciate the character and quality of our community. One of the primary purposes of the zoning ordinance is to “protect existing neighborhoods.” A Letter from Dennis Lopez The Pen Bay Pilot, 1/6/14 I speak as a neighborhood caretaker familiar with the grounds of Fox Hill and the general neighborhood. There's no doubt the plan would decrease local property values. I Am Against Exceptions, by Dave Bowles The Pen Bay Pilot, 1/3/14 We cannot afford to encourage exception zoning requests by approving the one before us now. Haste Makes Waste, by Dorie Klein The Pen Bay Pilot, 1/2/14 If haste makes waste, can this issue be studied in the context of our whole community and Camden’s needs, rather than being directed by undisclosed investors as represented by their numerous attorneys and hired guns? A Letter to Kim Tuttle and Planning Board The Pen Bay Pilot, 12/30/13 The 71 lines that FHRE wants you to recommend inserting into the Camden zoning code are superfluous, discriminatory, unenforceable and arbitrary. Mostly Paid Speakers Advocate for Fox Hill Proposal, by Philip Fowler The Pen Bay Pilot, 12/20/13 Proponents of the proposal had 15 speakers, 7 of whom were paid, 2 were investors, and 2 did not live in Camden. In short, they had only 4 Camden taxpayers (who were not paid or investors) speak versus the opposition’s 14. We trust the Planning Board took note of this when considering the testimony provided. Protect Existing Neighborhoods, by Scott Horty The Pen Bay Pilot, 12/12/13 I am convinced that at the final selling price of $2,700,000 there would have been buyers for the property with the purpose of a residential use. Added Traffic Would Be a Real Danger, by Beryl Harron The Pen Bay Pilot, 12/12/13 I am certain the residents of Chestnut Street and Bayview Street bought our houses in the belief that the present residential laws would not be changed when we made the investments. Extreme Opposition to FHRE's Proposal, by Richard A. Norris The Pen Bay Pilot, 12/12/13 As the owner of a home located less than a mile from the site, and having a personal history in Camden for over thirty years, I am, quite frankly, appalled that this proposal would be given any serious consideration. We Are Strongly Against Zoning Changes, by John Phelan The Pen Bay Pilot, 12/12/13 FHRE claims that if approved there will be 48 additional vehicle trips in & out of Fox Hill property. Previously they thought that it would be 56 trips. Our estimate is that it might be as high as 70 trips. Fox Hill, The Rest of the Story, by Sue Morrison The Pen Bay Pilot, 12/11/13 Please, focus on the zoning and the precedence you are setting. Please maintain the integrity of our towns hard worked, for and accepted zoning ordinance, that is the job you were elected to do. New Economic Submission by FHRE, by Dennis McGuirk The Pen Bay Pilot, 12/9/13 I stand by my conclusion that the results presented by FHRE greatly exaggerate the benefits to Camden, and if you review the details of my prior submission, I believe you will agree with me. What We Don't Know CAN Hurt Us The Pen Bay Pilot, 12/6/13 As citizens concerned with the future of Camden, we have decided to further examine the Fox Hill investors and their proposal for a drug and alcohol rehabilitation center at Fox Hill. Heads They Win, Tails We Lose, by David R. Weil Village Soup, 12/5/13 Bottom line, I believe that a group of investors, led by a Wall Street trained professional, is trying to ‘pull the wool’ over the eyes of trusting Camden residents. Foxhill Numbers Just Don't Add Up, Dennis McGuirk The Pen Bay Pilot, 11/26/13 After listening to Fox Hill Real Estate’s Economic Impact Study presentation at the Oct 17 Camden Planning Board meeting, I have evaluated it in detail. A Letter to the Editor, Scott Horty The Pen Bay Pilot, 11/18/13 As a resident of the greater Camden community for over 30 years and a real estate broker for the majority of that time The Big Picture and Fox Hill, Faith and David Hague The Pen Bay Pilot, 11/13/13 We have been reading the letters written both in favor of and in opposition to the proposed amendment that would change Camden's Coastal Residential zoning district to allow a substance abuse treatment center to operate on the Fox Hill property on Bay View Street. A Great Deal for Investors, Dennis McGuirk, Camden The Village Soup 10/24/13 The local controversy over the proposed substance abuse treatment facility at Fox Hill has nothing to do with whether such facilities are good, or bad, needed or not. It is purely a zoning issue for residents of Camden Important Point Missing, by Dorie Klein and Dana Strout, Camden The Village Soup 10/24/13 The local controversy over the proposed substance abuse treatment facility at Fox Hill has nothing to do with whether such facilities are good, or bad, needed or not. It is purely a zoning issue for residents of Camden Correcting the Record, Bob Oxton, Camden Bangor Daily News 10/26/13 Mr. Oxton expresses dismay at the misinformation circulating about Charlie and Julie Cawley and their use of Fox Hill. An Open Letter to the Planning Board from Citizens of Camden for Responsible Zoning The Pen Bay Pilot, 10/17/13 As residents of Camden, we look to the Planning Board to protect the town from being turned into another Malibu by a group of unknown investors Share our View, Concerns About Fox Hill, by John and Wynne Phelan The Village Soup, 10/03/2013 A rebuttal to the opinion piece by Bob Campbell. Please share our view and our concerns. Alarm Bells Sounding, by Robert Collins, Camden The Village Soup, 10/3/2013 Everybody in Camden needs to think through the following question; “Do you want to have a drug and alcohol rehab center in your neighborhood?” Interested in Camden's Future, Too by Barbara Dyer, Camden The Village Soup, 9/19/2013 Many of us who love this town, would like to keep the Zoning Ordinance and Comprehensive Plan in place. Employ Common Sense and Courtesy by Amy and Dan Smereck, Camden The Village Soup, 9/19/2013 Our family lives just down the road from the site of the proposed substance-dependence rehabilitation center, a commercial enterprise. Welcome, Wealth (from away) by Charles Packard, Camden The Village Soup, 9/19/2013 Proponents from Camden and nearby towns suggest that opposition to the Fox Hill proposal comes mainly from well-healed neighbors with backyards bordering the property in question. Uphold the Nature of our Community by Amy and Dan Smereck, Camden Pen Bay Pilot, 9/16/2013 Ours is a residential neighborhood, and that is why our family settled here; we oppose the introduction of a business into our little area. Save Our Neighborhood by Ken & Nancy Carlson, Camden and New York The Village Soup, 9/05/2013 The only thing that seems to be guaranteed if this zoning change is approved, is there will be a commercial enterprise at Fox Hill and our neighborhood will never be the same. Pulling a Fast One? by Dyke Messler, Camden The Camden Herald/Courier Gazette, 8/29/2013 Camden and Rockport are precious places. Rezoning Not 'In Harmony' by Julie and Charlie Cawley, Camden The Camden Herald/Courier Gazette, 8/29/2013 Because of our deep concern and caring for all Camden residents, we are writing to oppose the Fox Hill rezoning proposal. Curves Charming, Dangerous by Carey Cameron, Camden The Camden Herald/Courier Gazette, 8/29/2013 My husband, Giovanni Ferrero, and I oppose the Fox Hill proposal for the increased traffic and traffic safety hazards such a facility would inevitably bring. The Purpose of Zoning by Franklin M. Walker, Jr., Camden The Camden Herald/Courier Gazette, 8/29/2013 When my family purchased a home on Chestnut Street, we did so with the expectation that the neighborhood would be protected by Camden zoning from unwanted commercial development. Alarmed by Rezoning Proposal by Robert & Andrea Collins, Jeff & Deb Dodge, Phil & Teresa Fowler, Carolyn Marsh, Tom & Ann Fear, Brian & Maureen Kelly The Camden Herald/Courier Gazette, 8/29/2013 We are alarmed by this zoning change proposal since, in our opinion, it opens Pandora's Box with respect to changing the fundamental protection that the existing zoning ordinance provides for all of the residential properties in the Camden coastal areas. Fox Hill = Unexploded Bomb, by Lynette Meiler, Camden The Camden Herald/Courier Gazette, 8/29/2013 Anyone with half a brain must know that putting a drug clinic in the middle of Camden is like putting an unexploded bomb in the middle of the Camden-Rockport High School gym. Larger Implications by Andrew Polychron, Camden The Camden Herald/Courier Gazette, 8/29/2013 So, fellow citizens, what do we get for this rehab center? In Opposition to Fox Hill Development Proposal By Carey Cameron Pen Bay Pilot, 8/24/2013 My husband, Giovanni Ferrero, and I oppose the Fox Hill proposal for the increased traffic and traffic safety hazards such a facility would inevitably bring, both to those who live on Bay View Street and to those who use it every day for recreation |
Letters to the Planning Board
Concerned About Chestnut Street from Beryl Sexton Harron The Planning Board's Upcoming Vote by John Phelan Extreme Opposition to Fox Hill Rezone Proposal from Richard Noris The Rest of the Story from Sue Morrison You Must Say No to that Request from Louisa P. Enright Kindly Forward This Link from Dana Strout Heads They Win, Tails We Lose! from David R. Weil Fox Hill Numbers Just Don't Add Up: A Numerical Analysis from Dennis McGuirk Concern Over Proposed Zoning Change from Janet R. Goss, 11/19/13 An Open Letter from Scott Horty A letter of Opposition to Rezoning From Mark Abb, 9/19/13 Regarding Fox Hill Zoning Dorie Klein and Mr. Dana Strout, October 4, 2013 I Oppose a Zoning Change to Fox Hill from Mark DeMichele, October 4, 2013 A Letter to the Township of Camden By Robert P. Collins, September 30, 2013 Keep it Simple and Pure from Keith and Diane Blizzard, 10/29/13 A Letter to the McLean Hospital Board of Trustees by "Citizens of Camden for Responsible Zoning" September 26, 2013 I'm Opposed to Any Zoning Change from Amy Smereck, Camden 9/16/2013 Will Further Alter the Character of Bay View Street from Mark Abb, Camden 9/19/2013 Contrary to the Principles of Good Zoning from Don Abbott, Camden 8/28/2013 Register My Deep Concern from Nancy Akers, Camden 8/29/2013 Opposed to the Fox Point Rezoning from Peter L & Susan Blake, Camden With Reference to Fox Hill from Charles Packard, Camden We Urge the Planning Board Not to Approve from John & Nancy Callaghan, Camden Don't Destroy Bay View Street from Carey Cameron, Camden Changing the Zoning is a Step in the Wrong Direction from Jeff Clossey, Camden Zoning Ordinances are Not to be Changed from Robert P. Collins, Camden Amendment Would Set a Precedence from Daniel Smereck, Camden Opposed to Spot Zoning Change from Jonathan and Bonnie Dietz, Camden I Am Completely Opposed! from Lorraine DeMichele, Camden Residential Zoning Laws Should Be Held in Place from Ardys Dodge, Camden Residential Coastal Areas Need Protection from Robert & Andrea Collins, Phil & Teresa Fowler, Tom & Ann Fear, Jeff & Deb Dodge, Carolyn Marsh, Brian & Maureen Kelly Preserving Bayview Street is Preserving Camden's Identity from Giovanni Ferrero, Camden We Strongly Recommend the Board Reject the Application from Mr & Mrs Peter Blake, Carrie Cameron, Mr & Mrs Winfield Padgett, Mr & Mrs John Phelan, Mr & Mrs Frank Scofield, Mr & Mrs Rupert Scofield, Debbie Tucker, Charles Stifter, Camden Maine We Very Strongly Oppose Rezoning Fox Hill from Bob Fillnow, Camden We Hope the Zoning Board Firmly Rejects This Proposal from Bob & Barbara Furman, Camden Changing the Zoning Would Endanger All Other Properties from Rachel Bok Goldman & Allen S. Goldman, M.D. This Project Would Have a Negative Effect from David & Faith Hague, Camden Make No Exceptions from Robert Hammer, Camden I Am Strongly Opposed from Elinor Klivans, Camden Camden Citizens Should Be Concerned With the Long-Term Implications from 34 Concerned Camden Citizens I Think This Is Wrong from Dennis McGuirk, Camden Charming, Idyllic Area Has Existed Due to Proper Zoning from Nancy Padgett, Camden Very Much Oppose the Proposed Application from Sue and Will Pfau, Camden Commercial Activities Should Not Be Conducted in Residential Zones from Rob Merrill, M.D., Camden I Don't Agree With Spot Zoning Changes from Janice Samson, Camden Slippery Slope With No Return! from Lee Sculley, Camden Protect Our Residential Area from Robert Shotwell A Letter to the Planning Board from Robert P. Collins Recommend This Proposal Not Move to the Town Ballott from Terry Sortwell Spot Zoning Affects the Entire Town from David & Jana Vaughn, Camden Please Forward My Strong Opposition from Jarmila Volena, Camden We Oppose this Preposterous and Aggressive Proposal from Dr. & Mrs Russel Warren, Camden Leave Commercial Ventures In Districts Zoned for Them from Lucille Williams, Camden Legal Letters
10/10/2013 Letter to Planning Board regarding Summary of Legal Arguments 09/16/2013 Letter to Planning Board regarding F.H.R.E. Ordinance Amendment Proposal 08/27/2013 Letter to Planning Board regarding F.H.R.E. Ordinance Amendment Proposal submitted by Paul Gibbons 08/13/2013 Letter to William Kelly regarding Fox Hill CR Zone Amendment 07/31/2013 Letter to Planning Board regrding F.H.R.E. Ordinance Amendment Proposal |