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Conservation restriction permits helicopter landing pad, bunker for U.S. President on Loring property
Item 19 under Reserved Rights lists the following: "Construction and use of one helicopter landing area, to be sited with the approval of the Grantee, only for use by the President of the United States and the President's security force, which finished landing pad shall be a natural grass surface covering an underground cement structure and which landing area cleared of obstructions such as tall shrubs shall be no larger then three hundred (300) feet in diameter." Land Council Executive Director Cormac Collier said that it is no larger than the helicopter-landing pad at Nantucket Cottage Hospital. Loring's desire to include this right in her agreement with the Land Council stems from her offer to then-Presidential Candidate John Kerry in 2003 when he was considering buying property on Eel Point Road. Collier said that had Kerry been elected president, he would have had a tough time landing in Air Force One at the Nantucket Memorial Airport and then making his way through town out to his house. Loring, according to Collier, made the offer to Kerry, and future presidents, free of charge. By virtue of the Reserved Rights section, none of the 19 rights that Loring and her foundation asked for are set in any plan as final. Should helicopter-landing space be deemed necessary, the foundation can build it when it needs to. Currently, Loring is focusing on hiring a director for her foundation and on the construction of a barn structure in which she will base an educational program centered on the birds, plants, animals and habitat on her upland and wetland property surrounding the North Head of Hummock. Once she and her board of six directors, which formed in 1999 for the sole purpose operating the Linda Loring Nature Foundation, Inc., have a director in place, Loring is planning a network of nature trails around the property along with bird viewing blinds on Long Pond. Currently, said Collier, there is no public access to the property, but that could change. Other uses outlined in the agreement include: + Use, repair, renovation and expansion of Loring's existing buildings, + Construction and use of a maintenance shed and an equipment storage garage, + Construction and use of a pier and boatlaunching facilities on Long Pond, + Wells and septic systems, + Low-intensity ground level exterior lighting, benches and trash cans, + Unpaved parking areas, + Construction and use of up to 10 viewing stands around Long Pond, + Construction of unpaved roads, boardwalks and bridges, + Educational and scientific research programs, + Archeological excavation, + Maintenance of existing vegetation, + Introduction and use of bee hives and noncommercial gardening activities, + Walking, jogging, horseback riding and other passive, low-impact recreational activities, + Staff members' dogs and cats. The Linda Loring Nature Foundation will not allow: + New construction other than foundation facilities, + Excavation for anything other than foundation facilities, + Destruction of vegetation, + Negative impacts on drainage, flood control, water conservation and quality, erosion control and soil conservation, + Motorcycles, motorized trail bikes and or snowmobiles, + Subdivision of the property, + Roads and trails through wetlands + Commercial activities, + Hunting, trapping, kite-flying, model rocket or airplane flying, camping and golfing, + Exterior use of amplified sound equipment. Loring is scheduled to close on her deal with the Land Council on April 24. The Board of Selectmen must also sign the agreement. I |
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