Salt Pond Blueberry Barrens property on track to be preserved as natural area
Local conservationists celebrate the win
Instead of becoming a subdivision of upscale houses, the scenic area known as Allen Point is on track to be a managed nature preserve, thanks to a grassroots group Save the Salt Pond Blueberry Barrens (SSPBB), a loan from an anonymous foundation, and Blue Hill Community Development (BHCD), which has reached a purchase agreement with the real estate developer who owns the site, it was announced on June 23, 2025.
BHCD has agreed to purchase the property for $1.8 million and hold the land temporarily to allow supporters of the preservation project to raise the funds needed to repay the loan. BHCD will then transfer the land to Blue Hill Heritage Trust to steward the 38-acre site in perpetuity as a public preserve.
The grant-making Foundation, which requests to remain anonymous, has ties to the area and funds conservation projects. It is providing BHCD with an interest-free loan to enable the purchase.
The property on the Salt Pond Road (Rte 172) in Blue Hill would be the first major public site on the Salt Pond and would include multiple scenic viewpoints, parking, trails, recreational blueberry harvesting, and water access.
Real estate developer Geoff Bowley of Kennebunkport purchased the property in 2023 and applied for approval to develop a nine-home subdivision on the site, which was in commercial wild blueberry cultivation for many decades until about 2020. In April, the Blue Hill Planning Board denied Bowley’s application, voting unanimously against it based on the site’s scenic, cultural, and wildlife habitat value, and its listing on several state and county inventories of unique and valuable natural areas. In May, Bowley filed an appeal of the Board’s ruling in Hancock County Superior Court, but no hearings have yet been held. The purchase agreement, which is scheduled to close within 45 days, calls for Bowley to drop the appeal and suspend any further plans for development of the site.
Save the Salt Pond Blueberry Barrens was formed to raise awareness of the subdivision plan. At three public hearings by the Planning Board on the application, large crowds filled the Town Hall expressing opposition to the project. With overwhelming community support for preserving the land, SSPBB shifted its focus to finding a way to buy the property. One of the group’s leaders was Larry Lefkowitz of Blue Hill.
“Before we could have conversations about purchasing the property, we needed a non-profit organization with 501(c)(3) status to be our fiscal sponsor. Without it, we couldn’t approach donors to help us make this purchase,” Lefkowitz said. “Blue Hill Community Development was willing to play that role and we are incredibly grateful for that. Their support has been critical. Now we feel like we’ve been able to write a real-life story with a happy ending.”
SSPBB will now initiate a campaign to raise the funds. Several donors have already made pledges of support, and others have made significant donations. The group has 18 months to complete the fundraising process so that BHCD can repay the loan, although they hope to reach their goal sooner. “It is going to take all of us pitching in to get this over the finish line,” said SSPBB member Shelley Latham, “We want everyone to feel ownership for this iconic landscape by contributing at whatever level they can. This campaign has always been about the community coming together to protect what it loves. That is why we have succeeded so far.”
“We are ecstatic to have this deal come together and save this unique and beautiful property,” said Scott Miller, chairman of BHCD. “In some ways, it’s a complex transaction, and there have been many twists and turns to get to this point, but in the end it’s really simple. This is about keeping the Blue Hill Peninsula the special place that it is and protecting the beautiful environment we have.” BHCD’s mission statement says it “is intended to act as a vehicle to help organize and facilitate local projects that build on Blue Hill’s unique strengths.” It is guided by a local board of directors, and has no full-time employees. For more information about how to donate to the campaign visit the Salt Pond project page at BHCD.org or email saltpondfield@gmail.com.
