By Editor,Lauren Acton-Taylor

Copyright dailymail

A quaint Maine coastal town has been rocked by an argument over who the new tenants of a gorgeous historic lighthouse would be, as the old tenants face eviction.

Located in Castine, one of North America’s oldest communities, the Dyce Head Lighthouse was built in 1828 and has been home to local elementary school teacher Tracy Lameyer for 13 years.

But the three-bedroom keeper’s house is now at the center of a bitter row after Lameyer’s lease expired in 2022.

Some locals called for the home to be turned into a short-term rental to generate revenue for the town, but this suggestion was rejected by the council.

‘Take the emotions out of it and make this a business,’ Castine resident Pat Bishop said at a board meeting in June 2022.

A company even offered $100,000 to for a long-term lease so the property could be used for short-term stays, similar to the Airbnb model.

However, Select Board Member Scott Vogell argued that the importance of the property runs deeper than just the income it can generate.

‘The lighthouse is not just a place to rent, it’s a historic site,’ he said.

Vogell told Bangor Daily News that the lighthouse has been rented by the current trusted tenant for years, and that their patience with daily tourists ogling the property has proved sturdy.

Lameyer and her husband Mark Hurvitt’s lease was set to last three years at $1,200 a month, and has reverted to month-to-month since its expiration in June this year, the Castine Patriot reported.

Hurvitt has lived in the property with his wife since around 2022.

As the lease expired, locals pushed for the lighthouse to be turned into a rental property once again and questions regarding a second property owned by Hurvitt were raised.

Hurvitt’s second property in Blue Hill called into question whether the lighthouse was being used as the couple’s primary residence and if Hurvitt was claiming a homestead tax exemption there.

However, he said at a meeting on Monday that he ‘hadn’t given a second thought’ to his tax exemption until this year, after he claimed it once in 2010, and did not intend to appear deceptive.

Board Member Amy Gutow said the situation seemed ‘manipulative’ to her, as part of the lease requires the tenants have no other primary residence and removing Hurvitt from the lease, as first suggested, seemed like an unfair loophole.

Dan Leader, another board member, echoed Gutow’s sentiments and said he too felt misled by Hurvitt’s other home being rented out.

He said it appeared that the couple wanted it ‘both ways,’ and emphasized the unique and affordable circumstances the historic property offered in a town with limited housing options.

After Hurvitt agreed to waive his right to a tax exemption on his second property, the couple were signed on for another two year lease after a unanimous vote by the Select Board.

Hurvitt shared regret that ‘there wasn’t full disclosure’ regarding the homestead exception.

The new lease also requires the tenants provide documents proving their permanent residence in the property, such as voting locally and registering a car or the address on their driver’s license.

Locals who supported their residency in the lighthouse shared positive comments as news of their renewed tenancy broke.

‘As it should be!! Shame on those who thought otherwise,’ one wrote on social media.

‘Good cause most town owned buildings remain empty until they become a problem then we have to pay for demolition which is about 500,000 dollars. Let her rent it for 20 more years if she’s been there already for 13,’ another said.

Others simply said the renewal was ‘great news.