Hello Friends, Neighbors, and all those who love the beautiful Deer Isle, located off of the Maine coast.

We are Friends of Crockett Cove, a grass roots coalition of neighbors on Crockett Cove, a long deep inlet shared by the towns of Deer Isle and Stonington that is designated as Wetlands, a Water Quality Monitoring Site, a Shorebird Area, a Soft shell Clam area and a Riparian Buffer for Stream. The cove is a beautiful natural haven, containing the Crockett Cove Woods Preserve which is open to all! We have deep roots in the community and a deep love of this natural environment, with some of us residing on the cove for over 50 YEARS!

So, why are we asking for your support today?

There is a new proposed development on the cove for the 48-acre property at 36 Fox Hollow Lane (on the Deer Isle side of the cove.) This development, initially proposed as a campground, is now a potential RV Park.  At a special town meeting in February 2023, Deer Isle adopted a 6-month Emergency Growth Moratorium intended to postpone action proposed by out-of-state developers for a new campground. This action by the town was intended to provide time to write and adopt a comprehensive plan, a pre-step to adopting land-use ordinances to govern such developments. In response, the developer altered its proposal from campground to RV Park (in a bid to be temporary and without dwelling units) as a technical work-around to avoid both Planning Board review and the moratorium and thereby proceed with construction.

 This work-around RV Park may have the same kinds of detrimental impacts that a typical subdivision would have – to drinking water, erosion, shorelands, and traffic etc for example – without scrutiny.  So far, there has been no extended discussion of the impacts on our environment and community from an RV Park.  A complete land-use application should include multiple documents and verifiable studies to demonstrate it meets requirements and minimizes impacts to earth moving, drinking water, sewer, traffic, light, shoreland environment, and others. This work-around RV park proposal has scant official information making it impossible to verify its impacts. 

The Stakes Are High – for the Town of Deer Isle, for the island and for the region:

Because it is precedent-setting that an out-of-state developer might try to circumvent local intentions with a technical work-around; Because a salt water farm might be lost and no longer available for farming; Because a water’s edge might be lost as potential public water access point; and, Because an RV Park in this location might be a setback in the island-wide effort to steward the precious natural and cultural features which make it loved by residents and famous for visitors, without offering affordable housing or local jobs.

The Deer Isle and Stonington communities deserve a fair and transparent process.

We are urging the Deer Isle Planning Board to postpone action on the proposed RV Park by including it in the current Moratorium. The Moratorium’s  language “or other similar structures” wisely already provides flexibility for the Planning Board to do so. 

There is a key Planning Board meeting on August 16th. This petition is intended to show community support for a transparent process, which can be achieved through applying the current moratorium to the proposed development.

We, the Friends of Crockett Cove, believe that a better vision is possible. The future for this site could be a model for the Island, its residents, and for other Downeast towns and for the State - for appropriate land use, for local town transparency and public processes, for environmental stewardship, for public access, and for agriculture.

What can I do if I am concerned about the RV Park or like a better vision:

1. Sign this petition to show your support.
2. Attend the Deer Isle Planning Board Meeting, August 16 at 5pm in person at the Deer Isle Town Office or remotely.
3.  If you can’t attend meeting, then send letters or emails to the Planning Board, care of Jeremy Stewart, Chair, Deer Isle Planning Board.
4. Urge the Deer Isle Planning Board to postpone action on the proposed RV Park by including it in the current Moratorium. The Moratorium’s  language “or other similar structures” wisely already provides flexibility for the Planning Board to do so. 
5. Follow us on Instagram, @friendsofcrockettcove for updates. 

We thank you for your consideration and support as we seek to protect our beloved Crockett Cove.