NORTHPORT — Last March, the two Northport Select Board members and a roomful of approximately 40 town citizens agreed at a regularly scheduled meeting that the town should pursue placing a 180-day moratorium measure before voters that would, if approved, temporarily halt planning board approval of change of use/development on vacant undeveloped land except single family homes that are not part of a subdivision.

On Monday, May 11, a public hearing on the moratorium warrant article will be held at 6:15 p.m. at the Edna Drinkwater School.

The public hearing is in advance of the June 15 Northport Town Meeting, where, if the Select Board agrees Monday evening to place the matter on the municipal arrant, voters will consider to approve or reject the moratorium.

Effectively, the moratorium would, if ultimately approved by Northport voters, put the brakes on a proposed RV resort on a blueberry field near the top of Beech Hill Road, the catalyst behind the measure. 

That project had been introduced to the Northport Planning Board in February, and general opposition by local citizens followed.

In early March, an informal group of Northport residents circulated a petition opposing an RV Resort that had been proposed on land, including blueberry fields, acquired by Michael Ruggiero, of Belmont, Massachusetts.

Ruggiero had met with the Northport Planning Board February 10 to introduce his preliminary vision to build Ithilmere, Beech Hill Resort and Estate there. That project, as defined in his plan, would comprise 60 to 80 RV sites, plus geodesic domes built over the course of two phases.

Ruggiero also proposed organic gardening, agro-tourism, and an education center for t-ai chi classes.

At the March 23 Select Board meeting, Select Board Chair Molly Schauffler suggested adjusting the agenda to place the moratorium and petition discussion at the beginning of the meeting, given the number of citizens attending. Approximately 40 residents had filed into the town office by 6:15 p.m. to support the moratorium initiative.

"Hundreds of Northport residents signed a petition sharing concerns about impacts from this proposed development," said Judy Berk, a Northport resident and one of the petition organizers, in early May. "In response, the Select Board formed a task force to work on a targeted Moratorium designed to give the town an opportunity to develop local ordinances to protect the Town’s rural and residential areas from unforeseen impacts of such developments. 

"Such a development in rural Northport could pose serious threats to the quality of life of Northport residents without adequate provisions for protecting agricultural lands, wildlife habitat, scenic landscapes, town preserves, and natural areas; minimizing impacts from noise, nighttime lighting, traffic, odors, signage, and environmental degradation; increased demand on emergency services; and more.

"In particular, our rural roads are inadequate to deal with the traffic. Roads in Northport other than Route One are narrow, winding, hilly, have many blind spots, no striping, no shoulder, and sparsely marked speed limits, which makes them poorly suited to handle additional traffic and large vehicles generated by RV Campgrounds, Glampgrounds, and/or Event Centers."

The moratorium beings:

"WHEREAS, the Town of Northport did not anticipate RV Campgrounds, Glampgrounds, and/or Event Centers being proposed away from Route 1 (Atlantic Highway), and thus has not implemented adequate regulations in its Site Plan Review Ordinance or any other ordinance or regulation to preserve the Town’s rural and residential character away from Route 1 (Atlantic Highway); and...."

The full May 11 Northport Select Board agenda follows:

Public Hearing and Select Board Meeting

May 11, 2026 – 6:15 p.m.

Public Hearing:

• Draft moratorium ordinance re RV campgrounds

Citizen Concerns:

Village Representative: Janae Novotny

Roads & Bridges: Amon Morse

Town Administrator:

• Spring Clean-Up recap

• Maine Infrastructure Adaptation Fund grant application

• Community Resilience Partnership Round 7 grant application

• Community Resilience Partnership Round 6 grant award and formal bid process waiver

• UMaine Capstone project proposal

• 8 Beech Hill Road update

• Town Office Project update

• Solar Project update

• Document Scanning Project update

• Spirit of America nomination

• GWI poles update

• Minutes: April 27

Finance Director:

• Warrants

Unfinished Business:

New Business:

Adjourn: