At the urging of neighboring landowners, the town of Harpswell will ask the state to provide a more thorough assessment of the environmental impact of a town proposal to add parking and a trail to a state-owned shorefront parcel on Clark Cove.
The proposal is the subject of a fierce debate between nearby property owners and those who wish to facilitate public access to the roughly quarter-mile of publicly owned shoreline through an agreement with the state Bureau of Parks and Lands.
Opponents have repeatedly raised concerns about the impact of parking and trails on wildlife. Supporters have emphasized the need for more places where those who don’t own waterfront property can enjoy the Harpswell coastline’s natural beauty.
The proposal, initiated by the Harpswell Town Lands Committee, has divided the three-member town Select Board. Member David Chipman is an abutting property owner who opposes it, while member Jane Covey and Chair Kevin Johnson support bringing the proposal to voters.
The property encompasses about 18 acres on the east side of Harpswell Neck, with roughly 1,600 feet of shorefront on Clark Cove. The state owns a separate parcel of about 2.3 acres on the opposite side of Allen Point Road, but that parcel is not part of the proposal.
According to local officials, the state would not charge for use of the land. The town would be responsible for improvements, but federal and state funds might be available to pay for the work. Harpswell would manage the property.
At a Select Board meeting on July 25, the board members discussed a wildlife review conducted at the site by the state Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry. The review, dated July 3, notes the presence of vulnerable ground-nesting birds.
“We conducted a site visit of the … Clark Cove parcel and confirmed it’s serving as habitat for breeding bobolink,” the report says. “This is a Species of Greatest Conservation Need in Maine which nest on the ground and require open areas with a minimum size of about 5-7 acres in size (larger is always better).”
Still, the report says the parking lot and trail could be placed in locations where they wouldn’t disrupt the birds’ activities.
“The area serves as important habitat, but some recreation development and even agriculture can be compatible if planned and executed appropriately,” it says.
During the meeting’s public comment period, a group of nearby property owners criticized the report for not assessing the potential impact on other wildlife known to exist at the site.
Resident Jim Laughren noted that an earlier report from the state had mentioned the presence of habitat for waterfowl and wading birds, but the July 3 report doesn’t mention how enhanced site access might affect those species. Nor does it address migratory birds that visit the site, he said.
Laughren added that a portion of the property is bisected by a permanent wetland, “and no one has assessed the wetland.” He asked that Harpswell follow up with the state to request a more thorough wildlife review, which abutting landowner Anne Wagner seconded.
“Yes, this is in my backyard,” she said, “but one of the reasons why I bought that property is because it has that unique, wonderful, amazing ability to (be) habitat (for) wildlife and these birds that are being talked about. These birds … should not have human contact. Why do we have to have a human footprint on every single inch of Harpswell?”
Resident Ronnie Weston added that it would be difficult for the trail to be sited such that it didn’t contribute to land erosion in the shorefront area, another concern raised in the state report.
Following a discussion in which Chipman reiterated his opposition to the project, the Select Board directed town staff to ask the state for a more comprehensive environmental review. It also asked that the Town Lands and Recreation committees weigh in on information provided by the state about how to manage the land properly.
Covey thanked the opposing residents for their comments and said she takes them seriously. Still, she noted that the state’s July 3 report indicates overall support for the proposal.
“It is a balance of ‘Can we?’ and ‘Should we?'” she said, echoing one of the residents’ earlier comments. “How do we balance the well-being of the wildlife that is there with the concerns of the community and the interests of the broader community in Harpswell for access?”
“I’m not ready to stop the process here — we’re in the process,” Covey added. “The decision, what to do about it, will be made by the town when it comes to the Town Meeting in March as a warrant.”
