6 days ago
East Brunswick recreation area plans win council approval
Jun. 4—The Brunswick Town Council has OK'd a "menu" of suggested plans for a large swath of town property in East Brunswick, setting the stage for future recreation projects like trails, parking lots, a playground and a swimming area.
Councilors unanimously approved the plans Monday night for the 230-acre area, which consists two adjacent parcels: the Captain William A. Fitzgerald Conservation and Recreation Area, and the former Maine Gravel Services property.
The full management plan was presented by the Former Maine Gravel Services & Captain William A. Fitzgerald Recreation and Conservation Area Master Development and Management Plan Committee. Following Maine Gravel's property donation to the town, the council created the committee in 2023 to build on an existing management plan for the Fitzgerald site.
The plan is intended to serve as a flexible outline for town projects in the area over the next several years. It recommends minimal changes to the previously adopted Fitzgerald plan, mostly focusing on the Maine Gravel Services parcel and its 53-acre pond.
The 10 improvements are laid out in the plan are:
— A 10-space, short-term parking lot off Sturgeon Lane ($40,000)
— Improvements to the existing Sturgeon Lane access drive , including a 20-space parking lot and vault toilets ($842,000)
— A dock structure on the west side of the pond for non-motorized boats and recreational fishing and an ADA-compliant multi-use path ($295,000)
— A neighborhood playground and 15-space parking lot near Old Bath Road ($419,000)
— Improved vehicle access to the Fitzgerald Recreation and Conservation Area, including paving on Lindbergh Landing, 16 parking spaces and 4 ADA parking spaces ($1.88 million)
— Amenities at the Captain Fitzgerald site, including paved ADA multi-use paths, non-ADA multi-use paths and nature trails connected to the Lindbergh Landing access drive and to proposed trails on the Maine Gravel parcel ($823,000)
— An extended nature trail system, short-term parking lot to the southwest of Sturgeon Lane and a gathering area by the pond for education and group use, including stargazers, fishing groups, scout groups and ice skating ($1.49 million).
— A swimming area on the south side of the pond with a restroom, changing facilities and picnic shelters and an 80-space parking lot ($2.64 million)
— Sports fields on the north side of the site and an 80-space parking lot ($2.30 million)
— ADA and non-ADA multi-use paths and nature trails along the north and east side of the pond, including two pedestrian bridges crossing Bonny Brook and an inlet stream ($1.92 million)
The improvements total more than $12.6 million. According to the plan, the bulk of the funding will likely come from state grants through the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry and the Department of Transportation, which require the town to make a local funding match.
The council Wednesday night took several public comments relating to the ecological impact of developing the site, with many people urging councilors to protect natural habitats for wildlife and look into the swimming area's potential impact on drinking water wells nearby.
"We can't overdevelop this land; we have to protect it and support it," said Katie Jochems, likening some of the development to "paving paradise to put up a parking lot."
In response to resident concerns over drinking water, engineering firm Wright-Pierce submitted a hydrogeologic study to the town on Nov. 20, 2024, stating that activities planned for the area are unlikely to impact well and ground water. Resident Bob Moulton said the report did not sufficiently address his concerns on whether his well was safe.
"They haven't taken a single soil sample from the site that's up here," Moulton said at Monday's meeting. "They haven't taken a single water sample."
In response to environmental concerns, committee chair Sherry Mason and councilors pointed out that the plan is a roadmap for the next several years and may come with additional changes as it evolves. The council approved an amendment to its motion, adding language that would make the plan subject to historic and natural resources protections.
Mason said accessibility was a large consideration when deciding to develop more parking spaces and accessible paths.
"Taking a beautiful spot and making it possible for people who have limited mobility to appreciate the views and the trails, for that reason, moving cars to more central locations was one of the things we talked a lot about," Mason said.
More information on the plan is available at
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