The annual Swan’s Island Town Meeting took place on March 7 with 150 to 200 residents in attendance. Matters to be voted on included the election of officials, budget appropriations, a new Land Use Ordinance, and a possible action to affirm public rights to the Irish Point pathway.
Terry A. Staples presided as moderator. Dexter Lee was chosen for another three-year term as selectman. Sunny Stanley was chosen for another three-year term as road commissioner.
Voters made few changes in the proposed budget. Of the small changes made, funds were raised from surplus for maintenance of municipal buildings. Funding for recreation was increased with the hope of making the island rock quarry suitable for swimming.
Article 9, to enact the “Swans Island Land Use Ordinance,” encountered substantial opposition. The purpose of the ordinance, which was developed over a three-year period, was to address the parking problem on the island. The proposed ordinance required all new commercial buildings over 3,000 sq. ft. to provide appropriate parking areas for their customers. Existing businesses were to be grandfathered under the ordinance, however, were they at any time to expand beyond 3,000 sq. ft., they would be subject to the restrictions of the ordinance. Voters expressed concern about the cost of compliance. The article failed, 94-24.
Action on article 18, to secure the public right-of-way to Irish Point, was indefinitely postponed. To proceed would have meant continuing to assert that the Town of Swan’s Island has a protected right-of-way to Irish Point. The path, having existed for longer than the 21 years required by law to establish a public right-of-way, runs through the property of Steven C. and Barbara B. Rockefeller. The Rockefellers, who were unable to attend the meeting, provided a letter, which was distributed at the meeting, stating that usage of the path has existed thus far only by their permission as landowners. This permission, assured the Rockefellers, would continue for as long as they owned the property. Whether the use of the path is a public right or exists only by private permission of the Rockefellers is an issue that can only be resolved in court. No resident wished to lose their right to the path, but few wanted to proceed with action to contest the Rockefellers’ assertion, risking loss of that right. A motion passed 100-7 to neither proceed with nor abandon the possibility of proceeding with action.
Ushering in a new dimension to the definition of irony, new restrictions put upon the transportation of fireworks by the Department of Homeland Security has rendered them unaffordable for the celebration of Independence Day. In Article 32, residents voted overwhelmingly against raising the fireworks budget from $6,600 to the necessary $9,800 for procuring the same holiday lightshow of years past. Discussion of possibly having fireworks every other year generated little enthusiasm.
Dan Miller is an Island Institute Fellow on Swan’s Island.