As the Martha’s Vineyard Land Bank prepares for a confrontation with its new neighbors in Makonikey, pressure is mounting on its West Tisbury advisory board to buy a major inland property off Lambert’s Cove Road.
At issue is a handsome, 90-acre stretch of rolling woods and lowlands which is regarded as one of the last great, undeveloped pastures along Lambert’s Cove. The property, operated for generations as a family farm, is currently owned by Dan Alisio of Tisbury, who is trying to sell the property for $2.5 million.
Although confidentiality laws prevent the land bank from discussing future deals, a group of West Tisbury residents is openly pushing the local advisory board to make the Alisio property a top priority.
The public pressure is largely driven by recent revelations that Mr. Alisio is considering selling his land to private developers, including a group interested in constructing a golf course on the site.
A representative of the golf course group met with the West Tisbury planning board last week, a move which has helped to fuel this latest drive to buy and conserve the Alisio farmland.
The issue is expected to be discussed Tuesday night, when the West Tisbury land bank advisory committee hosts a public meeting at 5:30 p.m. at Howes House on State Road.
On the meeting agenda is Abbe Burt, a West Tisbury resident who is leading a local drive to conserve the farmland, which abuts her own Lambert’s Cove home.
“I kept hearing vague rumors about the land bank’s interest [in the property] and I’ve also heard vague rumors about developers,” Miss Burt said yesterday. “I think the land bank ought to buy it — and my fellow citizens think so, too.”
Miss Burt said the Alisio property is unique not only for its natural characteristics, but also for its place in West Tisbury history.
“Obviously, I live on the road, but the reason I feel strongly about [this property] is its place in our rural heritage — the farming heritage,” Miss Burt said. “That’s the reason I love West Tisbury.”
Even if local residents support the purchase of the property, it is uncertain if the land bank will buy it or balk at Mr. Alisio’s non-negotiable $2.5 million price tag.
Land bank executive director James Lengyel, citing confidentiality rules, declined comment on Mr. Alisio’s price, but did say that the parcel meets several standards the commission has set for future purchases.
“This is the type of property that fits into the land bank’s higher priority ranking,” Mr. Lengyel said.
West Tisbury land bank commissioner Sherman Goldstein agreed that the Alisio property is “very interesting,” but he said that the board must proceed with caution.
“The process has to be one which makes financial sense for the land bank,” Mr. Goldstein said. “Simply because there is a hue and cry for the land bank to purchase a property cannot force us to buy property for a price which is irresponsible.”
Though some residents have charged that the West Tisbury land bank representatives are narrowly focused on water-access properties — and therefore, might pass on the inland Alisio farm — Mr. Goldstein disagreed.
“Though there’s a [board] frustration at not having enough access to water, that shouldn’t blind the advisory committee to these kinds of inland properties,” Mr. Goldstein said.
The members of the West Tisbury land bank advisory board are Michael Colaneri, Raymond Houle, Tom Thomas, Peg Littlefield, Bruce Keep and Bill Haynes.
Mr. Colaneri, the chairman, said yesterday that his board is open to any public suggestions.
“We look at all the properties brought to the advisory committee,” he said. “We consider all of them.”
By Tuesday’s meeting, the public pressure on the land bank may be great. Miss Burt noted that another West Tisbury resident is circulating a petition asking the advisory committee to endorse the purchase of the Alisio farm.
Miss Burt, who works for the Sheriff’s Meadow Foundation, believes the land bank is the only Vineyard conservation group with a reasonable chance at keeping the Lambert’s Cove property away from developers.
“Right now, I don’t think anyone else can do anything about it,” she said. “I don’t think anyone else has the money.”
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