Ossipee — October 7, 2007 — Kevin Price of Ossipee Lake Marina has told the Ossipee Planning Board he is no longer planning a boat showroom on Route 16 because he has been unable to find a dealer for the venture. Price appeared before the board in response to two letters asking about his plans for the ten-acre property near Boulder Hill.
In September 2003 Ossipee town planners conditionally approved a zoning variance for Price to build a 100’ by 50’ showroom with 16 parking spaces and two, two-story 200’ by 50’ boat storage buildings. The variance was necessary because the land is zoned rural. Among the conditions the board specified was that the project be completed within five years.
One single-story open-fronted boat storage building has been built at the site since the approval, and zoning officer Dave Senecal told the board that Price “has about one year left to complete his site plan” before the property reverts back to rural.
Board member Bob Gillette said the board was concerned about the unsightly appearance of the property, and Price said he would begin immediately to bring the project site to grade as he understood it is an eyesore. The board also asked him to contact Public Service to shield the bright light at the site.
The Ossipee property became an issue in Freedom earlier this year after Price applied to the Freedom ZBA for approval to winter an unlimited number of boats on Broad Bay. Abutting property owners opposed the application, saying Price already had sufficient storage capacity on Route 16. They cited environmental and safety hazards and the limits the town attached to its 1997 approval for Price to store boats on Broad Bay.
Marina employee Tim Cupka told the ZBA it was too expensive to use the state highway property for boat storage, and in January the ZBA overturned the 1997 limits and approved unlimited winter storage on Broad Bay. Abutting property owners appealed and a decision is pending in Superior Court.
Meanwhile, Price’s continued use of Alvino Road and Lot 42 for commercial purposes has led to friction with Freedom’s selectmen. In August, Price was fined $275 for using the narrow dirt road and the residential lot in violation of a 2003 ZBA order that was upheld by a state court.
Zoning officer Ned Hatfield wrote in his notification to the selectmen that trucks and trailers had been spotted on Lot 42 on July 8 and Alvino Road was used that day to remove boats from the marina. Hatfield said Price had been warned.
“This is a repeat violation of the previous year, and for this violation there is a fine of $275,” Hatfield wrote. “Future use of these facilities will be considered as a separate violation for each boat or vehicle and an appropriate fine will be assessed for each occurrence.”
On August 20 Price appeared before the selectmen with a $275 check to pay the fine “under protest”, saying he would contest the decision once he had received clarification on the violation. The selectmen said they would put the check in a safe until the matter had been resolved. There has been no further public discussion of the dispute, according to the selectmen’s meeting minutes.
Portions of this story courtesy of the Carroll County Independent