State purchase of a 71-acre waterfront property on Kent Island was delayed Wednesday by the Board of Public Works, possibly killing the deal after Comptroller Peter Franchot objected to the sale.
Franchot complained that the $7.2 million price – $97,000 an acre ? was too high and “the industrial activity was not compatible” with open space.
This is the second time in the last month that Franchot had tangled with O?Malley administration Cabinet secretaries over proposed Open Space transactions in Queen Anne?s County because he thought the state was paying too much. After initially voting for an earlier deal, he was unable to block Tuesday?s 271-acre purchase in nearby Grasonville for a much cheaper $18,000 per acre.
The postponed purchase involves land at the northern tip of Kent Island at the mouth of the Chester River. It is the former site of a historic Bay ferry and the Love Point hotel, but it is currently used by Langenfelder Marine to bring in stone aggregate and construction material by barge. The 71 acres is owned by Atchafalaya Holdings, created by Langenfelder, and Langenfelder would lease back 12 acres for five years to continue its hauling operations for marine construction.
“I love Queen Anne?s County,” Franchot, but “every jurisdiction has development pressure,” and the Open Space money needs to be spread around the state.
“We?re always looking to find Bay access property,” Natural Resources Secretary John Griffin told the board. “All these acquisitions happened to hit at the same time. You won?t see anymore acquisitions from Queen Anne?s County” in a while.
Gov. Martin O?Malley said, “these have been getting a lot more attention” since he and Franchot rejected a permit for the 1350-unit Four Seasons development nearby on Kent Island in May.
Much of the Langenfelder property is a tidal lake, and there are two large waterfront properties zoned residential. Bob Douglas, the attorney for Langenfelder, told the board that Langenfelder President Jim Matters wanted to keep the property from residential development, despite offers to buy the land.
“It doesn?t strike me as a winning project,” said Franchot. “I just can?t imagine that there are not better spaces to spend this money.”
General Services Secretary Alvin Collins, whose department handles land appraisals, said the three-week delay could quash the transaction, which was supposed to go to settlement before then.
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