MASHPEE – The Mashpee Select Board has voted to remove an article from the October town meeting warrant concerning a possible purchase of Gooseberry Island.
The United States Supreme Court earlier this year declined to hear a case brought against the Mashpee Zoning Board of Appeals by a member of the Gooseberry Island Trust over an attempted property development.
The legal battle between the individual, Matthew Haney, and the town has lasted over a decade.
The zoning board denied multiple applications for variances because of public safety concerns, while Haney claimed the action was a violation of his Fifth Amendment rights regarding private property.
The Select Board supported coming back to the issue in the future when an appraisal is made and more funds are available for the multi-million-dollar purchase.
By Jim McCabe, CapeCod.com NewsCenter
About Jim McCabe
