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An Act To Amend the Boundaries of the Capitol Area
Emergency preamble. Whereas, acts and resolves of the Legislature do not become effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted as emergencies; and
Whereas,  the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 5, chapter 14-A established the policy, composition and duties of the Capitol Planning Commission for the purpose of developing effective planning to accommodate the needs of a growing State Government; and
Whereas,  the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 1, section 814, subsection 2 delineates the boundaries of the Capitol Area within the City of Augusta over which the Capitol Planning Commission has planning jurisdiction; and
Whereas,  since 1920 the Department of Transportation has owned and occupied a 9-acre parcel of land on the northerly side of Capitol Street known as the motor transport property for use as a highway maintenance facility; and
Whereas,  due to the functional obsolescence of the motor transport property, the Department of Transportation recently relocated its highway maintenance operations to a modern facility elsewhere in Augusta and now desires to sell the motor transport property; and
Whereas,  the motor transport property is located within the Capitol Area boundaries and is subject to the agency rules established by the Capitol Planning Commission that govern the use and development of Capitol Area property; and
Whereas,  sale of the motor transport property has been impeded by the conditions and restrictions imposed by Capitol Planning Commission rules, which originally envisioned the site for use as a state office building or parking garage; and
Whereas,  the need for a new state office building or state parking garage has been eliminated due to the extensive renovation of both of the existing facilities in recent years; and
Whereas,  the motor transport property is now vacant, deteriorating and creating potentially detrimental health, safety and environmental conditions; and
Whereas,  removal of the motor transport property from Capitol Planning Commission restrictions as soon as possible is necessary to enhance the property's marketability, expedite its sale and eliminate its current industrial use in favor of the development of a commercial, mixed-use site that will augment the City of Augusta's tax base and contribute to the overall aesthetic of the Capitol Area's West Campus; and
Whereas,  in the judgment of the Legislature, these facts create an emergency within the meaning of the Constitution of Maine and require the following legislation as immediately necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health and safety; now, therefore,
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 1 MRSA §814, sub-§2, ¶A, as enacted by PL 1991, c. 824, Pt. A, §1, is amended to read:
 
A.  The west side of the Kennebec River as follows: Beginning at the intersection of the easterlywesterly line of FlorenceSewall Street with the northerly line of Capitol Street; thence easterlywesterly along said northerly line of Capitol Street to a point of 150 feet westerly ofopposite the intersection of the westerly line of Federal Street projected northerly across said Capitol Street and said northerlythe southerly line of Capitol Street; thence southerlycontinuing westerly along the northerly line of said Capitol Street 150 feet to a point; thence southerly across Capitol Street and continuing southerly parallel to said westerly line of Federal Street about 800 feet to Kennedy Brook; thence following the thread of the stream generally easterly to its intersection with the northerly property line of the land of the State of Maine, being part of the Motor Vehicles premises; thence westerly about 60 feet along said property line; thence southerly along said property line about 155 feet; thence easterly along said property line about 140 feet; thence southerly along said property line about 120 feet to the northerly line of Manley Street; thence diagonally and southwesterly across Manley Street to its intersection with the northwesterly corner of other land of the State of Maine; thence southerly along said property line extended to the northerly line of Glenwood Street; thence along said Glenwood Street easterly to the westerly line of State Street; thence northerly along said State Street about 150 feet to a point opposite the northerly line of Britt Street; thence across State Street and along the northerly line of said Britt Street easterly to its intersection with property of Augusta Sanitary District; thence northerly and easterly as said property line may run to its intersection with the Kennebec River; thence along said river northerly as the same may run to its intersection with the southerly line of Highway Route 201; thence southwesterly along said highway line, as the same may run, to the easterly line of State Street at its intersection with Memorial Traffic Circle; thence across State Street in a northwesterly direction to the southeasterly line of Grove Street at its intersection with Memorial Traffic Circle; thence southwesterly along said Grove Street to the northerly line of Higgins Street; thence across Grove Street; thence southerly along Grove Street to its intersection with the northerly line of Wade Street; thence westerly about 400 feet in a straight line along Wade Street and its northerly line extended to the westerly line of Sewall Street; thence southerly along Sewall Street to the northerly line of Wade Street where it intersects the westerly line of Sewall Street; thence westerly along the northerly line of Wade Street and thence continuing in a straight line westerly and parallel to Capitol Street to the easterly line of Florence Street; thence southerly along Florence Street to the point of beginning; and
Emergency clause.  In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, this legislation takes effect when approved.
 
SUMMARY
This bill redefines the boundaries of the Capitol Area to exclude property located northerly of Capitol Street and westerly of Sewall Street in the City of Augusta. The greater part of the property excluded by this bill is occupied by the Department of Transportation's former motor transport facility. This bill will expedite the sale of the motor transport property by removing some of the restrictions imposed by the Capitol Planning Commission and making the property more attractive to potential business developers.