Dear Editor:

After a months-long debate earlier this year, Alna’s Planning Board denied Jeff Spinney and the Golden Ridge Sportsman’s Club a permit for a permanent boat launch ramp, excavated through the salt marsh into the Sheepscot River, a decision upheld in October by Alna’s Board of Appeals. Since then, we have seen the following four significant developments:

First, Mr. Spinney has requested mediation with the Maine Superior Court, pending the lawsuit he says he intends to file against the town of Alna over his permit denial.

Second, Mr. Spinney has filed a new permit application with the Alna Planning Board for a boat launch ramp whose design appears only to differ from the one previously rejected by the addition of a 15-foot x 35-foot retractable “military-grade” road surface made from anodized aluminum, and capable of supportin more than 300,000 pounds.

Third, a petition by a supporter — ostensibly unrelated to Spinney’s ramp permit application — has been filed with Alna’s Select Board for a vote to change the town’s Shoreland Zoning Ordinance (SZO) to permit approval of “permanent structures” below the high annual tide line. According to Spinney and the petitioner, the fact that these amendments would make Spinney’s proposed boat ramp permissible is purely coincidental.

Finally, the Alna Select Board appointed new members to the Planning Board, two of whom have demonstrated strong support for Spinney’s proposed project by (a) co-signing a strongly worded letter of support, published in local newspapers last June, and (b) by co-signing the petition described above to amend Alna’s SZO. Alna’s selectmen made these appointments despite previous claims that it would be inappropriate to appoint anyone who had taken a public position regarding Spinney’s proposals, and despite passing over numerous opponents who had applied months earlier.

These actions by both Mr. Spinney and town officials only make matters worse, and promote division in town rather than trying to find more modest solutions with broader community support. Stacking the planning board with Spinney’s supporters is bad enough, but proposing changing Alna’s SZO to permit and promote increased shoreline development along the tidal Sheepscot River is particularly rash and dangerous.

Ed Pentaleri

Alna