Mount Desert planning board continues subdivision amendment for 15 Blue Bell Lane after residents raise access and deed concerns

The Town of Mount Desert Planning Board on Nov. 12 continued a public hearing on a proposed amendment to the bicentennial subdivision that would shift roughly three acres from owner Sydney Roberts Rockefeller to prospective buyers Nathan Donaldson and Vanessa Little at 15 Blue Bell Lane in Seal Harbor.

Chair William Hanley, chair of the Planning Board, framed the item as a narrow request to “review a a very specific application,” limited to reproportioning lot lines under section 5.13 of the subdivision ordinance rather than any plan to develop new houses. John Whitten Jr., a civil engineer with Haley Ward representing the prospective buyers, told the board the proposal would leave the Rockefeller house lot intact while transferring the remaining acreage to the Donaldson/Little lot; Whitten said there are no proposed new roads or immediate development in the submission.

That assurance did not quiet residents. Neighbors pressed the board and applicant about legal access and whether approval would materially enable future construction. Eric Selton of Jordan Pond Road asked for clarification about the notice and whether the application would permit houses to be built on the newly combined acreage. Heather Rice, who owns a neighboring parcel, asked, “if they cannot come off of Centennial Lane, they will have to build another road besides Centennial Lane to get to that property,” expressing concern about a potential new driveway or road parallel to Centennial Lane.

Whitten and board staff said existing tax maps and the submitted plan show frontage on Centennial Lane, Wetland Way and Jordan Pond Road in places, but that Centennial Lane is a private pedestrian right-of-way recorded with a provision limiting access to four single-family homes. Whitten said the Donaldsons would gain some frontage but that the private right-of-way provision and absence of deeded access mean the lot, as structured today, would not carry the same “traditional road frontage” necessary to build without further approvals.

Residents also told the board they had read press reports suggesting the purchase might be contingent on approval; one commenter said that, per news coverage, the sale could become “null and void” if the amendment were refused. Board members and staff repeated that whether a buyer proceeds is a private matter but emphasized that any future development or new road would require a separate application and adherence to the town’s subdivision and road-standards, and might trigger waivers or additional requirements.

Applicant surveyors said their title and registry-of-deeds research did not reveal recorded covenants or bylaws that would restrict transfers for the bicentennial subdivision. That absence prompted further requests from the board and residents for copies of deeds, chain-of-title documents and any covenant language that might limit changes to lot lines.

After discussion the board voted to continue the public hearing to Dec. 10, 2025 at 6:05 p.m. The board asked the applicant to submit a full block plan that shows the Donaldson lot extending to Jordan Pond Road, copies of deeds and any documents that created or govern the bicentennial subdivision, and any other materials that clarify access rights and recorded restrictions. Chair Hanley said the additional materials will help the board determine whether the proposed amendment complies with section 5.13’s requirements.

What’s next: The board will review the requested materials at the Dec. 10 meeting; if the applicant returns with a development proposal or a separate subdivision application, that proposal would be reviewed on its merits under applicable land‑use and road standards.

Speakers quoted or referenced in this report include William Hanley (chair), John Whitten Jr. (agent, Haley Ward), Heather Rice (neighbor), Eric Selton (neighbor) and multiple other residents and board members who spoke during public comment.