By Dawn De Busk

Staff Writer

NAPLES — A local company that has been leasing land from the Town of Naples asked if it could extend the lease for another three years.

The lease agreement ends in May 2024. Therefore, one year and five months remains before the contract expires. The lot is located off Route 302 next to the Naples Fire Station. Sometimes, people refer to the land as the Begin Lot.

Nearby business Great Northern Dock (GND) has been renting the parcel from the town. The business has improved the appearance of the lot, planting trees and putting up green fencing. GND utilizes the area for storing completed product.  

On Nov. 28, a company representative appeared before the Naples Board of Selectmen asking to extend the lease. 

That evening, the board voted to table the matter for five months, until late April.

Postponing the item by several months would give the Naples Land Use Committee time to research ways the land could be used. The motion was to assign the committee with the task of exploring how the Begin lot could be used and returning to the board with the myriad of suggestions. Also, the motion stated that the selectmen would decide during the April 24 meeting.

By law, the leasing of town land must be approved by the town’s residents, either during town meeting or at the ballot box.

On Nov. 28, GND General Manager Jeff Turner presented his request to the board. 

“Approximately two years ago in June, there was an approval for a three-year lease for the Begin property,” he said. “If we leased the Begin property it would support our growth and the hiring of new employees.”

He said when the lease was approved 18 months ago, the company was able to expand from 20 to 25 employees. Since much planning and some money has gone towards getting the lot ready for GND’s needs, it seemed prudent to figure out how likely it is that the company can stay rather than seek another spot. 

“We are putting on the table a renewal of the lease, three more years,” Turner said.  

“On top of that if ever the opportunity [arose] to acquire the Begin property through lease and purchase agreement,” GND would be interested, he said.

Several people on the land use committee expressed opposition to a business using this town-owned parcel.  

Tracy Hoyt addressed the board. 

“Most of you weren’t here three years ago when this lease came through. We were blindsided,” Hoyt said. “We spent four years coming up with different ideas of what to do with that property. We were put on hold [because] we didn’t know if the fire department was going to be set up there. Then, 2-1/2 years ago, I found out that this property that we’ve been working on, that the majority is not useable because [a business is] storing items there,” Hoyt said.

She was shocked to hear that the lease might be extended for another three years. 

“There is so little land in Naples that is for use for the public, to take that from us now, while we are having ideas” is unfair, she said.

Kathy Keinath spoke as well. 

“What does Naples need? Naples needs parking. Naples needs bathrooms. That would be an ideal space for that,” said Keinath, who is on NLU committee. 

“We don’t have a large open space to do events or venuesin town. That property was looked out as a possibility,” Keinath said. “Last but not least, it has been tossed around many times — what about the fire department expanding on that land?”

Another resident, businessman Gary Skellett, said the town should use the land for the greater good. 

“Only one [business] benefits from the land. It does belong to the town, and everyone should benefit,” he said. 

He suggested putting up parking meters and charging people to park like something other water-side communities do.  

“The town should not be in the business of leasing the land. That land belongs to the taxpayers,” Skellett said. 

Chairman Jim Grattelo commented that GND was officially notifying the board for first time of its intent to extend the lease. 

Without a master plan putting forward other uses for the land, he saw no reason why GND shouldn’t continue to lease it. Several ideas for using the land, such has holding a farmers’ market there, have failed, he said.

“No one parks up there. It’s too far from the Causeway. There is no expansion plan for the fire department. Nothing has been presented to the select-board to expand the fire department,” he said. “We don’t need to make a decision tonight. I have no problem kicking it to the land use committee.”

Keinath stepped to the microphone. 

“We have these ideas but all these stumbling blocks,” she said. “If you want Naples Land Use to come up with suggestions, we could certainly do that. I think the land use committee would love to work with Great Northern Dock together so you don’t have factions working independently. Let’s talk together. Let’s try to work together and maybe come up with some viable solutions.”

Turner agreed.

“In business, it’s about working together. I am certainly not here to open a can of worms,” Turner said.