ESSEX — Town Meeting's approval of searching for a planner to draw subdivision lines for the property is being called a boost for the long-debated plan to sell some of the town-owned land on Conomo Point south of Robbins Island Road.
The Conomo Point Planning Committee interpreted the vote to start the designer selection process as a measure of the will of residents to sell the property in order to fund future uses of the point.
The committee had proposed two competing articles relating to the sale of Conomo Point land at Town Meeting last year. Both were defeated.
"We are asking Town Meeting to give us a sense of direction," Rolf Madsen, the committee's chairman, said. "Do you want us to take planning to the next step?"
Town Meeting approved the designer selection article Monday by voice vote after a motion to cut off debate was approved by a two-thirds hand vote. Much of the debate came from opponents of the article.
The defeat of last year's articles, which differed on whether to include some land north of Robbins Island Road in a sale, caused the planning committee to go back and look for a consensus-building, incremental move toward making a sale possible.
Madsen reminded voters that the article would only begin studying a sale and not approve one.
But despite assurances that the town could still turn back from a sale, the article came under fire from those opposed to giving up any land at Conomo Point and those who said creation of a complete plan for the area should come first.
Bruce Fortier of Southern Avenue said a sale should not be considered until a full plan for the town-owned lots is made.
"The article asks us to take a step forward toward a plan and does not tell us what the plan is," Fortier said. "In 14 years, (the committee) has yet to establish a plan. This is the same proposal we voted down last year."
Fortier said selling the town-owned land south of Robbins Island Road would create a band of privately held property cutting the town off from whatever is built north of the road.
He also said a sale of some lots would send a mixed message to leaseholders that could increase the town's legal problems if or when it tries to evict them.
But Madsen argued that getting professional planning help was critical to allowing the committee to know what its options are. He said the committee does not now have a strong sense of how much it could secure for the land south of Robbins Island Road or what future development there would look like.
Madsen said the potential expenses facing the town if it does try to retake the land when the leases expire in 2011 include loss of tax and lease revenue, the cost of cleaning up existing buildings and septic systems, and fighting lawsuits from the displaced leaseholders.
Western Avenue resident Ed Neal, who opposed the article looking to sell some land north of Robbins Island Road last year, said he believed selling lots south of Robbins Island Road would not detract from the use of the north part of the property, which includes the waterfront.
Residents and officials have suggested a waterfront park as a use for the land after the leases expire in 2011.
The article approved Monday night says the responsibilities of the planner will include drawing lot lines with frontage and setback requirements that maximize the value the town would get from them in a sale and appraising each lot. It does not provide money to actually hire a planner, something that would need to be secured at a future Town Meeting.
Patrick Anderson may be contacted at panderson@gloucestertimes.com.
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