FREEPORT

By a 6-1 vote Thursday, the Freeport Town Council voted not to issue an overweight moving permit for the 80-ton Island Rover vessel, which remains unwelcome by the Bucknam Road neighborhood.

Owners of the vessel, Carter Becker and Harold Arndt, can reapply for a permit, but will likely miss the Nov. 15 deadline they had suggested for the launching.

Councilors said they had concerns about certain criteria being met before issuing the permit so the vessel can be responsibly launched at the end of Shore Drive. The steel vessel, 100 feet in length, has been constructed in a non-conforming residential zone, and neighbors have been anxious for it to be moved from the area.

Moving it, however, has proved to be a feat, and when the vessel was moved from its original location earlier this year, only made it 100 feet down the road.

The Island Rover Foundation could face a maximum penalty of $34,000, after it was found by the court it violated a contempt order and was then subject to a $500 a day fine as long as it remained in a non-conforming zone. The town could also take possession of the vessel if it is not moved, per a contempt order issued this summer by Cumberland County Justice Thomas Warren.

Becker, at the meeting, told councilors the vessel is ready to be moved, is watertight, and said he envisions using the vessel as a sailing school for children.

“This is why the town doesn’t allow this use in a residential neighborhood,” Council Chairwoman Sarah Tracy said. “It’s a nightmare and a mess, and feels like crazy town when thinking of moving this large vessel down a small residential street.”

Tracy is frustrated that the council had to litigate the matter to get a response from the Island Rover Foundation in terms of moving the boat to a conforming location or launching it. “We’ve spent so much time and town resources on this issue while really important issues are halted while trying to solve this puzzle, not of our own making,” she said.

The additional information wanted by councilors if the applicants apply for a new permit, include ensuring the $2 million insurance policy for the moving of the vessel covers property damage as well as removal if the vessel was to get stuck in the intertidal area during its launch. Councilors also wanted to have property owners’ permission the vessel could cross their private property, proof no permits are needed by state and Federal agencies, and proof a launch is a viable option, as based on the opinion of an engineer.

Becker’s attorney, Benjamin Leoni, said there is a deeded right of way on Shore Drive that allows for the vessel to be moved, and he encouraged property owners to contact him to discuss the logistics of a possible launch.

“I understand, it’s a small road, and a dead end, and it’s a big boat,” Leoni said.

Councilors agreed they did not have jurisdiction to decide land disputes between neighbors if a property owner would not grant permission for the Island Rover to pass through their property.

Vice Chairwoman Melanie Sachs urged her fellow councilors to reject the permit before the vote. She said the years-long issue had been predicated on the choices made by the Island Rover Foundation in not providing adequate information or action as requested by the council.

Town Manager Peter Joseph, in an earlier interview, said the moving of the vessel was akin to moving a house. Two trees on Shore Drive are needed to be cut, and power lines moved, and to ensure the vessel doesn’t tip over, it must remain in the center of the road.

Councilors were united in concern about the logistics of the launch, including the amount of time, whether roads would be blocked, and raised questions about the feasibility of the launch.

The council will meet again Dec. 5.

jlaaka@timesrecord.com