While Pine Point residents had some questions, there were few negative comments regarding a plan to develop an 8-acre vacant lot at the East Grand Avenue and Pine Point Road intersection at a meeting last week.

Developer Paul Hollis, president and owner of Coastal Property Development Inc., has optioned the lot, which is located across the street from the Lighthouse Inn. He is proposing to subdivide the land into nine house lots.

Hollis hosted a public meeting last Wednesday at the Blue Point School to discuss his proposal and received neighbors’ opinions about the plan. Some of the questions raised include building design, environmental impact and public access to the shore.

Hollis said his company focuses on small, high-end development and about 90 percent of his work is done on oceanfront lots.

Coastal Property Development does not build homes; it simply works on getting the necessary subdivision approval and then sells the lots. He said the road entering the development will be marked private and will be made of brick.

Hollis envisions the homes will be “Maine-style cottages” and will be less than 4,000 square feet, but more than 3,000 square feet in size.

Hollis said his company focuses on one or two projects a year and the Pine Point project along with an 18-lot project in Yarmouth would be his company’s projects this year.

He has not closed on the property, but Hollis said he has an option to purchase it at $3.5 million, pending subdivision approval.

The 8.2-acre property could be subdivided into 10 lots, but Hollis said the lots would be too small and instead decided to move forward with the nine lot development.

The proposal discussed at the meeting calls for four oceanfront lots ranging from 1.38 acres to 1.57 acres. The remaining five lots would be on the upper portion of the lot with sizes ranging from .27 acres to .3 acres.

Hollis said he and his family would own one of the lots and the homes there will be as unobtrusive as possible. He does not envision any homes higher than two stories.

The company has completed eight smaller, coastal subdivisions in the state, including the 10-lot Cole Farm Estates in Scarborough. Other projects include Nubble Point in York and Rover Crossing in Cape Neddick.

During last week’s meeting, Hollis told the group he would give the town 50 percent of the costs and participate in the engineering and design of the project if the project was to move forward.

When asked if Hollis would be willing to donate any property to the town for future use, Hollis said it was unlikely, since the lot is so small, taking even a small chunk of his property could cost him about $500,000.

Meanwhile, work continues on the conversion of the Pine Point Motel to condominium units. The project, which was submitted last year, ran into significant public opposition. Now, the Pine Point residents’ group is working with owners Nick and Peter Truman and town officials on the plan.

The plan includes a proposed land swap between the town and Truman’s. The swap would allow Pine Point Road to move 18 feet away from the inn and provide enough room for parking in front of the building. It also would allow the removal of barricades, giving residents better beach access.

One concept discussed by the committee would have the Truman’s build a turnaround at the end of Pine Point Road in exchange for the land swap, which would make their property more valuable. The plan would cost an estimated $200,000, according to designs.