It's described as the largest proposed development ever in Maine:  a thousand houselots and two large scale resorts on either side of Moosehead Lake.  Originally, some of the houselots were planned for remote lakes and ponds and permanent conservation confined to under 15,000 acres. 

But LURC's senior planner Aga Pinette says that has changed. "We are now looking at a proposal that has nearly 400,000 acres of conservation land, so we are light years away from where this project started back in 2005."

In addition, Pinette says much of the planned development around remote lakes and ponds has been redirected toward more developed areas of the region.  And because of so much public concern about a large-scale resort planned for the ecologically sensitive Lily Bay Peninsula, she says that has been streamlined too.

"The development area started out being over 4,000 acres in size and we're now looking at a project that has more or less 1,800 acres," Pinette says. "It still is a significant amount of development for the North Woods, and the Commission, if they approve this plan, will expect that significant scrutiny will continue to occur in future development reviews of that area."

The Lily Bay resort is expected to accommodate up to 400 residential and resort units.  A planned resort on the west shore of the lake at Big Moose Mountain would accommodate twice as many.  Overall, the Plum Creek Concept Plan includes ten proposed development areas located close to two public roads in the region. 

Lands protected from development by conservation easement would still remain working forest.  Members of the Land Use Regulation Commission are expected to take a final vote on the plan at their Septemer 23rd meeting in Bangor.