The towns of Kittery and York have reached a resolution to a six-year border dispute, potentially granting Kittery 4 new acres.
The disagreement, which dates back more than 150 years, stemmed from York’s claim to a colonial-era boundary established in 1653. The dispute intensified in 2022 when York filed a lawsuit to set a new boundary, which was later dropped.
“We essentially agreed on the line that has been observed by both towns for the past 100-plus years is going to be the line we are proposing for the legislature to set as the boundary,” York Town Manager Peter Joseph said.
“The boundary that we had been using had been in place for 200 years, and we’ve used throughout the course of time, should be recognized,” Kittery Town Council Chair Judy Spiller said.
A survey conducted in 2024, costing $75,000 and split between the towns, established the new boundary.
The Maine Legislature is set to finalize the agreement in 2026.
A portion of the land is designated for tree growth and is exempt from taxation.
“We did the math out, and it’s like a dollar’s difference to the property owner, so it would be a few dollars between the two towns,” Joseph said.