Douglas Planning Board votes to take $24,000 bond on stalled Whitten Heights Estates subdivision

DOUGLAS — May 27, 2026 — Douglas Planning Board votes to take stalled subdivision bond and flags solar project's unpaid decommissioning fund. The board voted unanimously at its May 27 reorganization meeting to initiate taking a cash bond of just over $24,000 held for the long-dormant Whitten Heights Estates subdivision, after owner Mr. Pace told planning staff by phone he would not contest the action; the funds are expected to cover clearing and graveling an access path sought by the neighboring Swenson family. In a separate discussion, staff presented a building commissioner punch list showing the developer of a solar project identified as the ASD wall and solar project has made no payments toward a required decommissioning bond structured as a $100,000 initial deposit followed by $36,000 annually until reaching $964,000 — a shortfall members estimated spans at least two to three years. "And they've been collecting all this money for solar power? Something's wrong here," one member said. The board directed staff to summon the developer to a future meeting and consult town counsel on enforcement options including a possible tax lien. The board also voted unanimously to commit its FY26 and FY27 CMRPC municipal assistance hours as in-kind match for a Community One-Stop grant funding a zoning bylaw rewrite, conditioned on written acceptance from CMRPC confirming hours in lieu of cash.