NORTHPORT — In less than 30 minutes, the two Northport Select Board members and a roomful of approximately 40 town citizens agreed at a regularly scheduled meeting that the town will 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.

Effectively, such a moratorium would, if approved by Northport voters at an upcoming special town meeting, put the brakes on a proposed RV resort on a blueberry field near the top of Beech Hill Road, the catalyst behind the moratorium.

Last week, an informal group of Northport residents circulated a petition opposing an RV Resort that had been proposed on land, including blueberry fields, recently 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 construction of 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.

James Kossuth, Northport Town Administrator, said at the outset of the meeting that Ruggiero had appeared Feb. 10 before the Northport Planning Board with his preliminary plan. No subsequent plans have been submitted, said Kossuth. He said Ruggiero had until Thursday, March 26, to request to be on the April 14 Planning Board meeting agenda.

Judy Berk, who lives on Beech Hill Road, was spokesperson for the residents. She presented the petition with 297 signatures to the Select Board, as well as proposed moratorium language.

For voters to consider the moratorium, the town would require a special town meeting, said Kossuth. He explained that Northport currently has no townwide zoning ordinance. Such an ordinance designates zones, and what you can build in those zones, he said.

"Because we don’t have a zoning ordinance, we cannot break up into zones, but we can set criteria for developments across the town," said Kossuth.

He cited Lincolnville's 2023 moratorium on nonresidential developments that was enacted when a chain store had proposed a new building on a field at Drake Corner. (Read: Lincolnville swiftly, unanimously approves moratorium on major nonresidential developments).

At Lincolnville's hearing on the moratorium, approximately 250 residents voted unanimously in favor of the measure. Kossuth also said Lincolnville had extended its moratorium in order to effectively craft amendments to the land use ordinance.

He said a six-month moratorium could be extended by vote in six-month increments, as long as the municipality proved that it was working on zoning ordinances, or amendments to meet the purpose of the moratorium.

There is, "a lot of passion about a moratorium," said Northport Select Board Chair Jeanine Tucker. "I make a motion to move forward with a moratorium process."

With only two currently on the Northport three-person Select Board, a vote was immediately cast in favor of the motion.

“This roomful of people speaks volumes over any petition," said Tucker.

The motion was: "the Select Board approves moving forward with a moratorium crafting with discussion to continue at the April meeting."

The Select Board agreed to set in place volunteers to serve on three task forces between the March 23 meeting and the Board's next April meeting, and to, "work with James to come up with the final text."

There were three sign-up sheets at the meeting for volunteers to commit their names. The three task forces would address the moratorium language, beginning ordinance work and setting in motion an update to the town's comprehensive plan.

A resident asked: "If the developer submits an application next week, does the moratorium that happens this summer interrupt that, or is the developer grandfathered?"

Kossuth said that the moratorium can be retroactive to when the Planning Board discussed it at its Feb. 10 meeting.

He cited Lincolnville's approach, which was to continue the Planning Board review of the project while the moratorium was being crafted. Once the moratorium passed the Planning Board review was halted.

Ruggiero was also in attendance at the March  23 Select Board meeting.

"I am the developer, can I speak," he asked.

He said that the February presentation to the Planning Board reflected a preliminary vision and that he is currently working with Main-Land engineers in Falmouth for drafting a final plan. He said he visited Northport before the Planning Board meeting, met with the town's Code Enforcement Officer, and visited the blueberry fields.

"After working the land, knee deep in snow, I knew it was perfect for my vision," he said. "That is why I bought it."

He said he was granted permission to do land work by the town.

"I need clarification,” Ruggiero said.

He also condemned remarks made on social media about his project.

"Some of the language circulating online is misleading," he said, clarifying that the blueberry fields had been commercially maintained for years with chemicals.

"I pledge, starting from today, to transition to complete organic production starting now with a system similar to the blueberries that I farm," he said.

"My ecotourism project will be using a small fraction of my land. Over 100 acres will remain agricultural. I have made a real effort to communicate with the abutters in good faith. I have shared my [phone] number and offered multiple times to meet in person with hopes I could listen to their concerns, and incorporate solutions to those concerns with the designer."

He said he has 10,000 organic blueberry plants in production and that his goal is to invite people to work in the fields on Beech Hill, "to prune, to weed, to find their fingers stained blue."

He reiterated what he has been maintaining since last week that his RV resort would not resemble a KOA campground.

"Why are RVs such an important part of my vision," he asked. "Camping is essential to his plan because it allows people stay on the land lightly, flexibly, and in direction relationship with the working farm. I understand the concerns about traffic, noise, lighting. But they are topics for formal review.

"I ask that this project be evaluated through the normal, legal process that the town laid out for me in February, before I had even bought this land. On actual plans and actual facts, rather than through online assumptions and fear.

"This fear that moves our modern world today, Democrat versus Republican, a family from Massachusetts and families here in Northport today, neighbor versus neighbor. Everyone always seems to be screaming that they have to take a side but as a man literally building a yin-yang, I humbly suggest that everyone in this room wants to protect 554 Beech Hill Road.

"What concerns me is not our disagreement. It is the tone of the online noise that is pretending to be truth.

"This morning I posted signs because people in opposition have trespassed onto my land, taking photographs, and using those images as public opposition to my project. I regret having to close down the property in this way because I would prefer to keep it completely open to you all."

He said he would be happy to speak further about his project with interested community members.

"I look forward to keep Northport beautiful," he said. "I look forward to you opening your hearts to your neighbor."

With that, the Select Board then closed the meeting to public comment, and the public exited to the Town Office as other municipal business was addressed.

Reach Editorial Director Lynda Clancy at Lyndaclancy@penbaypilot.com; 207-706-6657