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Ellsworth approves purchase of 279.1 acres to expand Branch Lake conservation
Summary
City council authorized the city manager to sign a purchase-and-sale agreement to acquire 279.1 acres for $185,000, to be funded by Lands for Maine’s Future and the Land and Water Conservation Fund; closing targeted March 31, 2025.
The Ellsworth City Council voted to authorize the city manager to sign a purchase-and-sale agreement for 279.1 acres intended as an expansion of Branch Lake conservation lands, with a targeted closing date of March 31, 2025.
City Planner Matt Williams told the council the purchase-and-sale agreement has been reviewed by both parties’ attorneys and that environmental review had been completed to the city’s satisfaction. He described the funding source and contingency language: "If for whatever reason the grant funding falls through, the purchase will be delayed or not happen," he said.
The council heard public comment in support. A resident praised the project’s likely benefits for water quality and recreation; another speaker called the acquisition an "extraordinary enhancement of the public forest." Matt Williams clarified funding: "The full purchase price of the property is grant funded through state and federal sources. It does not come from local taxpayer general fund." The council then voted to authorize the city manager to sign the agreement; the motion was seconded and the measure carried.
Nut graf: The acquisition would add permanently protected acreage around Branch Lake using state and federal conservation grants, avoiding direct local-general-fund expenditure and aiming to protect drinking water and recreation resources.
Details: The purchase price is $185,000. Funding is expected from the Lands for Maine’s Future program and the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF). Remaining due diligence noted by staff included completing title work now that an updated legal description had been provided to the city attorney.
The council did not specify an exact vote tally in the meeting record; the motion passed. Staff and the city planner will continue to coordinate title and closing steps in advance of the March 31 goal.
