During the same meeting during which they approved the reconstruction of a downtown parking lot, Damariscotta Planning Board members also heard a proposal for a park at the end of Vine Street.
A Vine Street resident and the largest abutter of the property, Shannon Parker, presented a concept plan to the board during its Monday, April 7 meeting for the development of a community green space at 0 Vine St. The property borders the parking lot at Main Street Grocery and along Chapman Street. The property is owned by Jon and Stephanie Poland, according to Damariscotta tax records.
Karl Stein, a physician interested in helping ease the area’s housing needs, presented a concept plan to the board for the development of housing at 0 Vine St. during the board’s March 3 meeting. However, after hearing concerns from Vine Street residents about the plan of adding housing at the end of the dead-end road, Stein said he would seek elsewhere to build housing.
“What I know is I’ve lived there for two decades and there’s been no development, and it has not been developed for decades before I moved in,” said Parker during the April 7 meeting. “So, I would like to stop saying no to projects and introduce something that might be a good fit for the town.”
Tentatively called Damariscotta Green, Parker said the plan for the 1.6-acre space includes an 8-foot wide graded walking trail that will loop around the property; an evergreen curtain, or a wall of vegetation to reduce noise and light; and specialty areas for community members of all ages, such as a wooden boat built by teenagers at The Carpenter’s Boat Shop in Pemaquid for children to play on, a bird sanctuary, a veterans memorial, and a reflection garden.
Parker described these features as “places where you can feel at home.”
“Some things that are being floated is to just make this a microcosm of our town, to take all the big, bold, beautiful, rich things that are happening throughout our community and put them into this space,” she said.
The walking trail would have an entry from Vine Street and include an existing path from Chapman Street. The proposed project also includes the removal of invasive species and the reestablishment of indigenous plants.
Parker said she is under contract with the Polands to purchase the property and that the sale is expected to close in about three months.
Although she would be the one building the property, Parker said community members are chipping in to make this vision a reality.
“I think it could have impact for the next 10 generations and I think it just takes a lot of people saying yes,” she said.
Following Parker’s presentation, planning board members voiced their support of the proposal.
“I think it’s a fantastic initiative,” said planning board member Jenny Begin.
Parker will have an application for the project submitted to the planning board in time for its next meeting, she said. If the project is ultimately approved, Parker has a tentative five-year plan to get the space up and running, which includes developing a nonprofit and a network of volunteers to oversee it.
“There’s no shortage of volunteers who are ready to come to this project,” said Parker.
For more information, email Parker at damariscottagreen@gmail.com or go to damariscottagreen.com.
The next meeting of the Damariscotta Planning Board is at 6 p.m. on Monday, May 5 at the town office, at 21 School St.
