KINGFIELD — An effort to protect an important scenic intervale by a group of local residents has taken a new turn. The scenic 46-acre parcel along Route 27 and the Carrabassett River south of the Kingfield village was sought for protection by the majority of a Kingfield committee.

According to listing realtor Brad Smith of Bean & Smith, the center parcel known as the Hurvitt property is under contract with a Farmington area farmer. The asking price of $179,500 was down from $225,000 when it was first placed on the market two years ago.

Resident Stacy McClusky took it upon herself to take first action and called a meeting a year-and-a half ago for those who were interested in seeing the land protected.

To the north, the Town of Kingfield owns a 60-acre piece it uses for grey water processing in partnership with the Poland Spring water bottling facility. The group was hopeful that this 60-acre piece would also be placed into protection limiting it to agricultural, recreational and waste water uses in the future.

To the south lies a piece owned by the White family who has indicated that they have no intentions of developing the land beyond how it’s used today. Currently that land is being actively farmed and yielding corn. It is rumored, but not confirmed, that the new owner of the Hurvitt land will also grow corn crops in the future.

The Kingfield group, known as the “Conservation Easement Committee,” was working with Nina Young, land director for Maine Farmland Trust.

The trust’s mission is to “Protect and preserve Maine’s farmland. Keep agricultural lands working. Support the future of farming in Maine.”

MFT did make a $140,000 offer and entered into a contract with the Hurvitts. That offer was contingent upon the town deciding to also place its 60-acre parcel into long range protection. The ultimate goal was to see all 106 acres protected.

Young, who attended the Kingfield Town Meeting, told residents that they made an offer and had a contract with the owners.

Voters at the annual meeting decided to allow a group to move forward in investigating the pros and cons of placing portions or all of the intervale into easement. This group was charged with coming up with a plan and bringing a recommendation back to the voters.

MFT’s intent was to become interim owners of the land. Once owned, they’d place the land into permanent protection limiting it to today’s uses, then put it back on the market and sell it to a farmer.

For those who have been working on this initiative for a year-and-a-half, their contract recently expired and a new buyer made an undisclosed offer. According to the realtor’s Web site, the land is now under contract.

It is reported that the land conservation group will continue to look at town-owned land and MFT will continue to work toward conservation easements in the area.