Mexico Planning Board votes against campground at recreation park

MEXICO — The Planning Board unanimously voted Thursday evening against allowing the River Valley Recreation Center to turn a section of the Mexico Recreation Park into a campground.

During the board’s July 31 meeting, Arthur MacIsaac, an employee with the recreation center, said the idea to set up campsites near the tree line of the park was in “its infancy stages” and would require more research.

MacIsaac said the initial plan was to have eight to 10 sites with power and eight to 10 sites without power.

At first, Planning Board Chairman Dan Casey said he thought the town should table the issue indefinitely.

Planning Board member Mabel Merrill said the board should just “cut it off right now before they start researching the issue and spending money to prepare.

“I’m not a fan of it, and having talked to some people in the area, it seems like there are others who are against it,” she said.

Reggie Arsenault said he didn’t think there should be a campground at the park because “you’re going to have to have someone there 24 hours a day to police it.”

Other board members agreed that they wanted to see additions to the recreation park, but not in the form of a campground.

In other business, the board reviewed the town’s animal control ordinance and approved raising the fees for nuisance dogs to $50 for the first offense, $100 for the second offense, and $250 for the third offense.

The current fees are $10 for the first offense, $15 for the second offense and $25 for the third offense.

The board also agreed that all dogs being walked should be on a 6-foot leash, and residents under the age of 16 walking a dog should be accompanied by an adult 21 years or older.

Merrill also said a nuisance dog should be defined as a dog that continuously barks for 20 minutes or more.

Arsenault said that after the amendments are added to the ordinance, he’ll bring the draft to Town Manager John Madigan to review and to submit to the Maine Municipal Association for corrections.

mdaigle@sunjournal.com

: Mexico Planning Board member Mabel Merrill listens Thursday evening to member Reggie Arsenault give his opinion on whether a campground should be allowed at the Mexico Recreation Park.