City Hall·Portland Land Bank Commission
Portland Land Bank Commission reviews Murray Street acquisition and University Park plans
The Land Bank Commission confirmed that a proposed playground in University Park does not require formal land bank approval because the site is unimproved meadow land. Commissioners discussed the next steps for acquiring two high-priority parcels on Murray Street, agreeing to draft a letter of intent to formalize negotiations with the willing seller. The group also reviewed updates on other properties, including a potential forested parcel near the Eastern Promenade and the Davis Pines expansion.
Key points
- The commission determined that the University Park playground project does not trigger land bank ordinance requirements because the area is unimproved and unimproved meadow land, allowing Parks to proceed without council approval.
- Commissioners agreed to move forward with the acquisition of two Murray Street parcels by drafting a letter of intent to establish a purchase and sale agreement with the landowner.
- Appraisals for the Murray Street parcels came in at $36,000 and $68,000, differing from the owner's asking price of $40,000 per parcel, leading to a discussion on how to structure the final price.
- The commission discussed a forested parcel near the Eastern Promenade that a homeowners association is interested in selling, noting that a survey and appraisal would be necessary to determine value and boundaries.
- Staff provided an update on the Davis Pines property, indicating efforts to expand the parcel by including adjacent land to increase its appraised value and developability.
- The group noted that the Stroudwater Bridge ribbon cutting ceremony has been rescheduled for September 18 at 1:30 p.m.
Next steps
- Draft a letter of intent for the Murray Street parcels to be reviewed by the commission and Corporation Counsel.
- Contact the homeowners association regarding the Eastern Promenade forested parcel to discuss potential sale terms and the need for a survey.
- Continue working with the Davis Pines owner to expand the parcel boundaries and reassess the property value.
- Prepare the annual land bank report for submission to the City Council, with a target completion date of December 31.
Where this came from
City of Portland, ME Meetings Portal
The summary and transcript were made by software from the public meeting video, with names checked against the official roster, then reviewed before publishing.
Watch the meeting ↗The summary and transcript were made by software from the public meeting video, with names checked against the official roster, then reviewed before publishing.