Sally Hinckley doesn’t see what the commotion in her neighborhood is all about.

Hinckley lives in South Portland on Phillips Road, which is just off Edgewood Road and straddles the South Portland/Cape Elizabeth border. On Feb. 21, the South Portland City Council voted to erect a barrier at the Cape Elizabeth/South Portland line on Edgewood Road in order to block traffic from the city into the town.

Now, residents from two households in Cape Elizabeth and the town of Cape Elizabeth itself are all seeking legal counsel to reverse the decision.

Hinckley thought there could have been a more straightforward way to deal with the situation. “Why don’t we all sue?” Hinckley said, mocking the mentality of those involved in the debate. “It’s getting to be ridiculous.”

According to South Portland City Manager Ted Jankowski, a meeting between representatives from the two communities will occur in April to discuss how to better handle similar situations that may arise in the future. But as far the Cape’s chances go to change this decision?

“I don’t think they can do much,” Jankowski said.

The dispute first erupted between the two communities that share one neighborhood when the Cape Elizabeth subdivision, Blueberry Ridge, went to the town’s planning board in 2002. The development is behind Edgewood Road, which begins in South Portland and ends in Cape Elizabeth. Residents on the South Portland section liked the wooded area that stretched out behind their homes and did not want to see it developed.

Mike McGovern, Cape Elizabeth town manager, understood their frustration. “It was a nice asset to South Portland,” he said in an interview. “They’re still very upset that the neighborhood was built.”

When the developer subsequently started building, South Portland tried to block off the development’s access to South Portland streets. The developer sued the city and won, costing South Portland more than $500,000.

The South Portland vote to erect the barrier “was clearly retribution against Cape Elizabeth,” McGovern said in a press release sent Thursday morning.

However, Jankowski argued that it was “clearly a policy decision.”

In the release, McGovern said that he would be “reviewing potential legislative remedies” to prevent cities from putting up barriers at their town lines.

Regardless of the reason behind the vote, by erecting the barrier at the town line, the city is not only inconveniencing residents of the development, but also residents of two Cape Elizabeth households who have lived in their Edgewood Road homes long before Blueberry Ridge was built.

Edgewood Road used to be a dead-end street, until Blueberry Ridge was built behind the dead end. Edgewood Road is used as one of two access points to the 19-lot subdivision, which South Portland neighbors say is causing a traffic problem in their quiet neighborhood. In order to remedy the situation, signs were put up to indicate that using Edgewood Road to access the development would be considered trespassing. Easements were given to the Cape Elizabeth residents who lived in the two homes on Edgewood Road that fell behind the town line. But signs weren’t enough to stop traffic to and from the development, neighbors said.

Due to the continuing complaints, the city council voted to erect the barrier in order to prevent through traffic. As the result, Debra Sampson and the Boulos family will no longer be able to drive down their own street to access their homes, but will have to drive through the subdivision instead.

Sampson, of 59 Edgewood Road, said she was “no fan of the development either” – especially since a pine tree fell through her house during its construction. Still, she hasn’t seen a traffic problem as a result.

Jayne Boulos, of 60 Edgewood Road, agreed. “If two cars a day go through here, it’s a lot,” Boulos said. “If traffic was a problem, I’d be the first to complain,” she added. Both Boulos and Sampson expressed frustration about the fact that a traffic study was never done to confirm or deny the complaints.

“It’s all based on hearsay,” said Sampson.

Boulos and Sampson both frequent the South Portland stores located on Cottage Road. Boulos said that convenience was one of the reasons she bought her house. Driving around the development will add at least another seven minutes to get to to their old corner stores, they said.

But added driving times and a possible change of address aren’t the only discomforts. Sampson said that the debacle has resulted in “a lot of sleepless nights” for her. No matter who comes out ahead, the ill will among neighbors in the area is sure to stay.

“The feelings can’t be repaired,” Boulos said.

Communities, neighborhood divided