MAINE PUBLIC • August 7, 2023
Popham Beach Estates is a subdivision that dates back to the late 1800s. Many families have owned property here for generations, including Clark Hill's. But he's suddenly found himself on disputed territory. The Hills are being sued by for trespassing by their neighbors, the Tappens, who claim they purchased three and a half acres of land in 2021 from another property owner. The land abuts the Hill's property and cuts in front of it, extending to the low tide line and in front of other families' cottages. Hill's attorney, Benjamin Ford, says it was a bogus sale at a rock-bottom price, and based on the seller relinquishing claim to the property. If the Tappens' lawsuit is successful, Ford says it would allow unallocated beach land along the coast to be scooped up for purchase. "I disagree," says David Soley, an attorney who represents the Tappens. "I see no wider ramifications in this particular case at all."