For most people, a small plot of land nestled near Lake Pine may not seem like a big deal.
To Lake Pine Colony Club officials, it is crucial to safety and maintenance of their lake.
Medford Township is planning to grant an easement to the Lake Pine Colony Club for use of a 20-foot long area of township-owned land, allowing the club access to the lake.
The portion of property comes from what was originally a 60-foot wide strip of land along Park Road near Lake Pine. In 1996, the property was divided into three, 20-foot sections. Two of those sections were granted to neighboring property owners on either side of the strip. Lake Pine Colony Club officials thought the third portion was their property.
“It was misunderstood by the colony club, given there were neighboring properties, that they own the center of that,” colony club president Laura Saunders said. “That center was retained by the township.”
While the small piece of land doesn’t seem like a big deal to most, it is crucial for maintenance and safety along Lake Pine.
“As the geese come and populate, we can’t go onto private properties,” Saunders said. “So this gives us access to certain areas of our lake to keep it pristine.”
Saunders said the colony club also needs access to the property in case of an emergency.
“The Taunton Fire Department uses the fire lane opposite the lake for their practice,” she said. “We would still need access if there would ever be an emergency in that area.”
Mayor Chris Buoni said the colony club came to the township early in 2014 to ask if it would vacate the property.
“The township had already had discussions with Lake Pine of vacating a portion of property that really has no public use,” Buoni said. “It serves a use for Lake Pine.”
Buoni said he has no issue with allowing the colony club to use the property. The club has maintained it for a number of years, despite it being township-owned.
“Since it is the township’s, we thought it’d be possible since we’re paying to maintain it and use access,” Saunders said.
One problem the township had with vacating the property was it could not simply hand the property over to the colony club. Township solicitor Chris Norman said the township must first offer the parcel to neighboring properties. Buoni noted a private homeowner could decide to purchase the land and make the area of the lake inaccessible to the colony club.
Norman said granting an easement would give the colony club the access it needs and prevent private landowners from purchasing the land themselves.
“It would effectively do the same thing as the colony club owning it,” Norman said.
In addition to allowing the colony club to continue to use and maintain the property, the township could also use it for any reason in the future.
Council is expected to pass a resolution making the easement official in the near future.
