Council approves land purchase
Council approves land purchase
Parcel will be used for affordable housing, conservation
By Zack Anchors
Staff writer
A parcel of land abutting Broadturn Road and I-95 may soon be purchased by the town of Scarborough for the purposes of affordable housing and conservation. The property, around 19.5 acres, has been offered to the town by its current owner, the Maine Turnpike Authority, for $200,000 – significantly less than was previously asked for the land on the open market. At its Nov. 1 meeting, the Scarborough Town Council voted 5-1 to amend the 2007 budget for the purchase, with councilor Shawn Babine voting in opposition.
While approximately three quarters of the land will be either conveyed to the Scarborough Land Trust or placed under a conservation easement, the town plans to set aside the remainder of the land for an affordable housing project of some kind. Creating affordable housing has been identified as a high priority in the town’s comprehensive plan and other town reports.
“We’re purchasing this for particular reasons – for conservation and for affordable housing,” said Councilor Sylvia Most. “These are two well-defined needs in our community.”
The property is to be paid for using $40,000 from a recent sale of a parcel of town-owned property to Bangor Savings Bank as well as $160,000 in bond revenues. The Turnpike Authority had previously put the property on the market for the highest bid, but Town Manager Ron Owens intervened and requested that the town first be offered the property.
The possible purchase was evaluated by the town’s Parks and Conservation Land Board to determine if the property held recreation and conservation values worthy of the town’s purchase with land bond funds. Although the board found that the parcel was “middle of the road” in terms of its value, board chair Sue Foley-Ferguson said there were other factors that made the purchase worthwhile. Foley-Ferguson said besides the low price, the parcel offers a long stretch of forest along I-95 that would “help keep our roads looking rural.” She said much of the land along the Turnpike will eventually be developed and that preserving the forested strip would “promote the appearance of Scarborough.”
The board recommended that the town use $100,000 of land bond funds for the purchase, as long as around three quarters of the land is used for conservation.
How the affordable housing element of the plan for the property will proceed is yet to be determined. Owens said there is space on the site for up to six lots, at the most. Several councilors expressed hope that the site could become host to a Habitat for Humanity project. Councilor Most said it was most likely that once the town purchased the land, they would hand part of it over to a developer to build affordable housing. But Councilor Patrick O’Reilly suggested that the town could initiate the project by itself.
“I would like to see the town actually take control of it,” he said, suggesting that various businesses and service organizations could pitch in to build homes.
Councilor Babine had said at a previous meeting he supported the project, but felt obliged to vote against it on principle. Babine said because the council endorsed the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights (TABOR), a citizen’s initiated referendum designed to limit government spending, he felt that it was hypocritical of the council to be approving spending that would be restricted under TABOR.
“This would trigger funds beyond TABOR,” said Babine of the property purchase.
Since making his comments regarding TABOR, Babine has voted against every item regarding municipal spending that has come before the board, including some items he has said he would otherwise support. Babine voted against the council’s endorsement of TABOR.
Parcel will be used for affordable housing, conservation
By Zack Anchors
Staff writer
A parcel of land abutting Broadturn Road and I-95 may soon be purchased by the town of Scarborough for the purposes of affordable housing and conservation. The property, around 19.5 acres, has been offered to the town by its current owner, the Maine Turnpike Authority, for $200,000 – significantly less than was previously asked for the land on the open market. At its Nov. 1 meeting, the Scarborough Town Council voted 5-1 to amend the 2007 budget for the purchase, with councilor Shawn Babine voting in opposition.
While approximately three quarters of the land will be either conveyed to the Scarborough Land Trust or placed under a conservation easement, the town plans to set aside the remainder of the land for an affordable housing project of some kind. Creating affordable housing has been identified as a high priority in the town’s comprehensive plan and other town reports.
“We’re purchasing this for particular reasons – for conservation and for affordable housing,” said Councilor Sylvia Most. “These are two well-defined needs in our community.”
The property is to be paid for using $40,000 from a recent sale of a parcel of town-owned property to Bangor Savings Bank as well as $160,000 in bond revenues. The Turnpike Authority had previously put the property on the market for the highest bid, but Town Manager Ron Owens intervened and requested that the town first be offered the property.
The possible purchase was evaluated by the town’s Parks and Conservation Land Board to determine if the property held recreation and conservation values worthy of the town’s purchase with land bond funds. Although the board found that the parcel was “middle of the road” in terms of its value, board chair Sue Foley-Ferguson said there were other factors that made the purchase worthwhile. Foley-Ferguson said besides the low price, the parcel offers a long stretch of forest along I-95 that would “help keep our roads looking rural.” She said much of the land along the Turnpike will eventually be developed and that preserving the forested strip would “promote the appearance of Scarborough.”
The board recommended that the town use $100,000 of land bond funds for the purchase, as long as around three quarters of the land is used for conservation.
How the affordable housing element of the plan for the property will proceed is yet to be determined. Owens said there is space on the site for up to six lots, at the most. Several councilors expressed hope that the site could become host to a Habitat for Humanity project. Councilor Most said it was most likely that once the town purchased the land, they would hand part of it over to a developer to build affordable housing. But Councilor Patrick O’Reilly suggested that the town could initiate the project by itself.
“I would like to see the town actually take control of it,” he said, suggesting that various businesses and service organizations could pitch in to build homes.
Councilor Babine had said at a previous meeting he supported the project, but felt obliged to vote against it on principle. Babine said because the council endorsed the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights (TABOR), a citizen’s initiated referendum designed to limit government spending, he felt that it was hypocritical of the council to be approving spending that would be restricted under TABOR.
“This would trigger funds beyond TABOR,” said Babine of the property purchase.
Since making his comments regarding TABOR, Babine has voted against every item regarding municipal spending that has come before the board, including some items he has said he would otherwise support. Babine voted against the council’s endorsement of TABOR.
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