Harpswell voters will decide at the next annual Town Meeting whether to approve a project to facilitate public access to Clark Cove via state land on Allen Point Road, despite opposition from neighboring property owners.
The Harpswell Select Board voted 2-0 at its Oct. 2 meeting to place the proposal before voters in March. Chair Kevin Johnson and member Matt Gilley voted in favor. Member David Chipman abstained, saying he is a beneficiary of a family trust that owns land abutting the site.
The proposal, initiated by the Harpswell Town Lands Committee, would add an access trail and small parking lot. It 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 the property’s wildlife, as well as coastal erosion and increased traffic in the neighborhood. Supporters have emphasized the need for more places where those who don’t own waterfront property can enjoy the natural beauty of the Harpswell coast.
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 the Oct. 2 meeting, several neighbors spoke against the proposal. They included Jim Laughren, who has been a vocal opponent since it was first introduced.
Laughren accused the Select Board of ignoring abutters’ “legitimate concerns” about the access plan in order to forge ahead with a town vote.
“One of the problems we’ve had — the neighborhood — in dealing with the town on this issue is that there has been no process,” he said.
In response, Ken Oehmig, co-chair of the Town Lands Committee, said he believes the neighbors’ concerns can be addressed without killing the project.
“Despite anything (that) happens here or at future public meetings, that’s going to be public land — it’s owned by the state and was purchased for public access,” he said. “That won’t change.”
Oehmig added that Harpswell taxpayers are subsidizing the property through their taxes and should therefore get to vote on whether access should be improved.
Resident Patty Laughren said it’s not only abutters who are against the proposal. She noted that more than 150 residents signed a petition expressing their opposition in 2024.
“This was from all over Harpswell Neck, all over Cundy’s Harbor, everywhere,” she said. “There are many, many people who do not agree with pursuing the development of this land.”
Johnson, the Select Board chair, responded to opponents by saying he sees it as a requirement of his job to let voters make the ultimate decision at Town Meeting. He said there will be additional public meetings at which opponents and supporters can each make their case.
“Whether I like the idea or I don’t like the idea, I need to have it voted on — we’re a Town Meeting form of government,” Johnson said. “And I think it’s important that something of this magnitude gets voted on by the entire town.”
Select Board member Gilley agreed with Johnson, adding that local residents will have more control over what happens at the site if the town takes over management from the state.
