Residents Group Buys Mashnee Island Property
By: Diana T. Barth
Published: 02/05/10
A group of Mashnee Island residents has purchased the building—and the land surrounding it—that has been the home of the Quahog Republic.
A deed and associated documents were recorded Monday afternoon in the Barnstable County registry. They show a purchase price of $2.75 million and two mortgages.
One, for $650,000 was granted to Cape Cod Five Cents Savings Bank; the second, for $931,500, to Wianno Road, Mashnee Island, resident James S. Gonet. The remainder of the funding was fronted by the unidentified Mashnee Island property owners who joined together to purchase the property, once the home of a private club.
The purchase marked the end of the property’s lease by Quahog Republic owner Erik K. Bevans. It also marked the end of Mr. Bevans’s sublease to Bourne Community Boating, which also ceased to exist when Mr. Bevans’ lease was terminated.
It did not, however, end hopes by both Bourne Community Boating and the Town of Bourne that they will be able to work with the new owners.
At Wednesday night’s meeting of the town’s community preservation committee, that group authorized Chairman Barry H. Johnson to write a letter to the new owners, through their attorney, Thomas A. Latanzi of Orleans. That committee has voter authorization to buy a portion of the property, and committee members want to open the door to any discussions the property’s new owners might wish to have.
Similarly, Bourne Community Boating members are hopeful that the new owners will have the same attitude toward the BCB sailing program as the former owner did. Mr. Bevans not only subleased some of the land under his control to the BCB, he provided shade under his deck for the group’s educational program and other amenities.
“We’re hoping that they will continue to support the kids in Bourne,” BCB President Kenneth D. Legg said, and allow the boating group to continue its program at the Mashnee Island location. The waters there are in a protected area that is ideal for neophyte sailors.
Mr. Legg said that the group has already taught some 200 Bourne youngsters and wants to continue teaching them. The program does not have a lot of time to either come to an agreement over the use of the Mashnee site or find a new location. Applications usually go out at the beginning of March.
Members of the BCB have said they were surprised when Mr. Bevans relinquished his right of first refusal to buy the land, taking a buyout of his interests, instead.
That relinquishment—and the end of Mr. Bevans’ superior court suit, which had blocked any sale of the land—left open the door to the purchase by Mashnee Group LLC, an as-yet unnamed group of island residents.
The sale, however, was a great relief to the seller, Constance McClellan of Harvard, principal of Mashnee Village Inc., said her attorney, J. Ford O’Connor.
The court cases and controversies over the use of the land had weighed heavily on the elderly Ms. McClellan, who had owned the property for many years.
The Barnstable County Superior Court cases, including one filed against selectmen over the Quahog Republic’s licensure, have now been, or will be, dismissed, Mr. O’Connor said, and there is no reason for his client to appeal a recent Department of Environmental Protection decision.
Mr. O’Connor said he and his client were very happy to be out of the fray as various groups competed to buy the land.
He said he is still operating under an agreement with the property’s new purchasers that says neither the property owner, that company’s agent, or its attorneys would work with the town toward a sale of the land, so he had no comment on the land’s future except to say to the new owners, “We wish them well.”
Mr. Bevans could not be reached for comment. His Quahog Republic group, working from its retail store in Plymouth, won second place in last weekend’s chili contest on Martha’s Vineyard.
7 Responses to "Residents Group Buys Mashnee Island Property"
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A big disappointment for the people of Bourne (sans Mashnee residents), the BCB and those who enjoyed the Quahog Republic. I suggest that the people of Bourne need to approach the federal government for parking access along the dike, which is not owned by the Mashnee residents.
The failure of Mr. Bevans to operate his business within the boundaries of commonsense and the fact of the proximity to residential property precipitated the effort to protect the residential interest. Fotunately the owners had the ability to defend themselves against the expanded business plan and the creation of a public destination that was an incompatible use of Mr. Bevans business interest. The original intent of the propert was the creation of a beach club that was named the Boat and Bottle Club. It was a club that was a low keyed family friendly operation that welcomed many locals over the years and was never intended for a publicly advertised destination gin mill.
in rebuttle to the above email. You need to get your head out of your ass. why would you buy a vacation home near a restaurant. erik has done a wonderful job of running his business and he has gone above and beyond to be flexible to any of the concerns of the island residents. They make it out to be such a loud and noisy place that is fueled by drinking. When it is the absolute opposite. The Quahog Republic is very family friendly and was voted top Family restaurant on Cape Cod by Cape Cod life magazine. There will always be knuckle heads whether you are at a 5 star restaurant or a beach siude bar. So take that out of the equation and I wonder why people who knew they had a restaurant in their back yard would build additions and make improvements to a home. This is god awful what you have put not only Erik through but what you have put all the wonderful people who have patronized the Quahog Republic. Kharma is a funny thing. I hope when you select few are sitting high above your castles and looking out over the ocean, a familiar sound won't be heard anymore. The sound of people enjoying their lives and each other and good old fashioned capitalism that this country was founded on. Good Day
What I really like about the above e mail is the personal insulting remark which I suspect is typical of those who create a public nusiance and expect others to remain silent. I do not live on the island but do have an inherent respect for private property rights that include residential property. Gin mill operation and the creation of a public destination indicates to me that Mr. Bevan's had little to no regard for residential rights. Clearly the clash of business interest and residential interest is the result of ridiculous zoning and since the above writer has no clue as to what it was like to live next to the expanded businees use of a gin mill he may want to try it. prior to defending stupidity.
dch.2 - Please do some research to determine the extent that the QR reached out to the Mashnee residents and to the people of the town of Bourne. You will see that he made every effort to appease those people including volunteering to limit his hours, music and special events. These were concessions he made and which he was not required to make. The only failure the QR made was in failing to appease a group of people which, most consider driven by one goal, the elimination of access to this area. The Mashnee group has sued the QR, Town of Bourne and the Bourne Community Boating (BCB) to attain limited access to this area. The area of the QR was zoned for business and is adjacent to a long stretch of federally owned beach. I would argue that the Mashnee group is being unfair by trying to restrict access to an area they do not control and that their treatment of the QR, BCB and town is scornful. Again, The Mashnee residents that keep perpetuating this are, in my opinion, just trying to thwart the enjoyment of this area by anyone besides themselves. The fact that they are going after the community boating program makes me see these people as selfish and the tact that they are using, as simply a ruse to hide their true motives. Our town “coastal resources goal” (found at http://www.townofbourne.com/Town Offices/LCP/LCP Draft Plan/Coastal Res.htm) states: “The coastal resources goal of the Bourne Local comprehensive Plan is to protect the public interest in the coast as well as rights for fishing, navigation and recreation; to improve, preserve and manage coastal areas in order to safeguard and perpetuate their biological, economic, historic, maritime and esthetic values; and to preserve, enhance and expand public access to the shoreline.” The issue that the Mashnee residents are pushing appears to me to be clearly contrary to the town’s interests. Again, before you state that the QR treated the Mashnee people unfairly, look to the history of this situation and the deluge of frivolous complaints brought forth by the Mashnee group. Additionally, the QR is not the only one harassed by the Mashnee Association. This group has made it very difficult for the BCB to function. This is a group that provides a free sailing and marine biology program to full-time Bourne youth. They have protested their use of storage sheds, placement of porta potties, people parking to drop kids off, the noise of the kids etc. Additionally, all this selfish malarkey has cost both the QR, Town of Bourne and BCB lots of money. The area of the QR was zoned for business and is adjacent to a long stretch of federally owned beach. I would argue that the Mashnee group is being unfair by trying to restrict access to an area they do not control and that their treatment of the QR, BCB and town is scornful. The reaction by the Town's people to this issue shows that this sentiment is widely shared.
I am a towns people and i belive that zoning was and is the main issue. The residentioal community that is adversely affected by business expansion has every right and obligation to preserve the character of their environment. The original club that was formerly called the Boat and Bottle was primarily for and catered to residents of the island and a few locals. Bevans created his own demise by business expansion that was incompatible with the original intent of the club. The island residents by virtue of living there have a far more compelling interest that those who would both use and abuse their privacy. I could care less what an alleged majority of the town thinks. Just because "the Town" wants public access they do not enjoy that "right. it's called private property rights.
It's all mute now anyways isn't it? Though it is amazing how budsbuds and others cling to the false information they have been fed. I guess if you repeat factual inaccuracies and misrepresentations enough you start to believe it yourself.