BLUE HILL, Maine — Kennebunk-based developer Geoff Bowley is planning to turn a blueberry barren in Blue Hill into nine housing lots, but people are pushing back against the proposal, hoping to preserve the scenic area overlooking Salt Pond.
Many residents of Blue Hill and its surrounding communities are rallying against the proposed development.
"We don't wanna lose all the Maine heritage," Blue Hill resident Tim Dawson said.
Dawson lives across the pond from the barren and is worried about the environmental effects of the project, particularly erosion.
"It's beautiful but it's fragile and the fear is that it's gonna damage the quality of the water in the salt pond as well as just taking away this place that people love so much," Dawson said.
The ecosystem is also an important factor for the Blue Hill planning board, who will approve or deny the project. It's continuing to evaluate the proposal and wants to look further into how it might affect the ground and storm water.
"Right now, I've caught striped bass and mackerel here that I'm feeding to my grandchildren, and I want to have this water stay clean for the future," Larry Moffet, a Deer Isle resident that fishes in the pond, said.
NEWS CENTER Maine reached out to the project's developer but did not hear back.
According to the project application, the 38-acre project was "designed to protect the scenic and natural beauty of the site and the area in several ways."
Moffet said he's been capturing that natural beauty for the past 10 years. The barren is one of his favorite places to paint.
"I would feel pretty disappointed if I lost this place to paint. I've lost a lot of other places over the years and they're getting harder and harder to find," Moffet said.
Many locals are hoping to come together to buy back the site for public use.
"It's really for the generations to come as well, that this could stay an iconic place," Dawson said.
The planning board is meeting next on Oct. 9 to choose an engineering firm to review the project application. The review is expected to begin shortly after.
The planning board will decide whether to approve the project once all reviews are complete.