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Resolve asks legislature to authorize Kittery–York boundary description after court dismissal; committee requests surveyor and tax impacts
Summary
LD 1196 would require the towns of Kittery and York to jointly develop a meets-and-bounds description of a disputed boundary area. Committee members asked for clarification on survey requirements, the acreage involved and expected tax impacts; staff were asked to invite town managers to the work session.
A resolve to direct the towns of Kittery and York to jointly prepare a meets-and-bounds description of a disputed town line drew detailed questioning from the Joint Standing Committee on State and Local Government on April 2.
Representative Monte presented LD 1196 on behalf of Senator Lawrence, who was ill. Monte told the committee the dispute involves roughly 94 acres on the southern end of York and the northern end of Kittery, in the vicinity of Route 1 and the Turnpike, and affects both homes and businesses. “It has an impact on both towns' tax rolls,” he said, summarizing press accounts and town-supplied material.
Members focused on technical and procedural questions. Representative Kim Copeland, who said she had experience with surveying, told the committee “assessing maps are not boundaries, real boundaries,” and urged that any description be produced by a professional surveyor and bear the required seals for recording. Representative Randall Greenwood advised caution about whether the resolve should be mandatory: “If we direct the towns to do something… that's a mandate. However, if we allow the towns to do something and report back voluntarily, it's not a mandate.” The sponsor said the intent is to authorize and enable the towns to jointly petition the legislature to settle a compromise boundary, not to impose a unilateral mandate.
Committee members also asked for more detail at work session, including exact location mapping, the number of homes and businesses affected, and an estimate of tax revenue shifts from any boundary change. Representative Wayne Farren specifically requested an inventory of affected properties and whether residents prefer to remain in Kittery or become part of York. The committee requested confirmation about whether the towns have engaged professional surveyors and asked for copies of any perambulation or survey work the towns have already completed.
No final committee vote was taken on April 2. The committee asked staff to invite town managers from Kittery and York or their designees to the work session, to provide any existing surveys or assessor maps, and to supply an estimate of the potential tax revenue impact.
