Westbrook may move to counteract development pressure by acquiring more open space.

Bob Adam, the owner of the 70-acre Rivermeadow Golf Club on Lincoln Street, said he is in negotiations with the city over a portion of the property that includes the former seventh, eighth and ninth holes adjacent to the skating rink. The parcel also features river frontage.

“These negotiations as yet do not have a time limit nor do they mention a price for the property. They are a work in progress,” Adam said in an email this week.

Bill Baker, the former assistant city administrator now working as an economic development consultant for Westbrook, confirmed Wednesday that the city is looking at a roughly 25-acre portion of the land.

The City Council approved last week a $6,000 item to survey the property, after which Adam will have a commercial appraisal done.

“That will allow (the city) to negotiate further on the potential price,” Baker said.

In January, Adam announced he would not be opening the golf course for the 2016 season. Adam and his wife purchased the course in November 2003.

Baker said he’s been in discussions with Adam even prior to the announcement that the course would close. When Baker was still assistant city administrator, he said he reached out to both Adam and to the owners of Twin Falls Golf Club on Spring Street to discuss the possibility of open-space preservation.

“That was an effort on the part of the administration to balance our pro-growth strategy and the interest of preserving open space,” he said.

Baker said the owners of Twin Falls did not respond, but Adam did. Since that time, Twin Falls has been purchased by Priority Real Estate of Topsham, which plans to come forward with a development proposal. That announcement has fueled further public outcry about the rate of development in Westbrook. Twin Falls is located just across the street from the controversial Blue Spruce Farm subdivision.

Next week, city officials are hosting a joint meeting to discuss growth and development in Westbrook, and may consider local measures such as impact fees or a moratorium on residential development.

Adam has not said what will come of his remaining 40-plus acres if the city sale goes through. The zoning for Rivermeadow is mostly Rural Development, with a small portion of it in Residential Growth Area 1.

If negotations prove successful, a Rivermeadow land purchase would most likely be paid for by the Westbrook Environmental Improvement Corp., which also had a hand last year in acquiring 30 acres adjacent to the existing City Forest near the Westbrook Community Center for $150,000.

The Westbrook Environmental Improvement Corp. is a citizen-led board that uses funds from the city’s tax increment financing districts and applies them to “environmental stewardship and economic development.” It has nine members including representatives from the business community, elected officials and the public.

It’s estimated that the City Forest land will produce an additional 15 to 20 miles of trails. The city’s Recreation and Conservation Commission has hosted recent public forums to develop a recreation plan for the land.

Baker said the golf course parcel could be used for “passive recreation space,” with walking trails, and cross-country skiing during the winter. The property is a mix of open fields and wooded areas. Baker said there is a historic trail along the Presumpscot River, as well.

According to minutes from the July 14 meeting of the Westbrook Environmental Improvement Corp., a draft offer for the property was put together by the city attorney, with a few terms. These included the city’s funding of a land survey and the owner’s appraisal to determine the “fair market value” as compared to the city’s initial offer. That figure is confidential due to the ongoing negotiations.

The documents also say the city would propose establishing a credit for the seller toward any open space set aside on future development of the remaining property.

As with the additional City Forest land, Westbrook Environmental Improvement Corp. would purchase the property while the Recreation and Conservation Commission would set aside funding for establishing trails and signage.

Nate Dyer, the president of the Westbrook Recreation and Conservation Commission, has been involved with all discussions on major open space projects in Westbrook, including the City Forest. The group has also met with developers such a Risbara Bros. about recreational space included in their projects.

Dyer said that despite the rapid growth seen in Westbrook, city officials also see the need to maintain open space and recreational space. He believes it’s important to work with developers to get the most recreational value from the project, instead of trying to obstruct them. But, he said, “once these developments happen these spaces are gone for good.”

“From what I have seen, there is great support from city staff, government, and the community as a whole for these kinds of conservation projects,” he said last week. “I would say now is definitely the time to act because the development pressure in the area is not going to stop and right now is the only time we are going to have the option to preserve these spaces.”

The 9-hole Rivermeadow Golf Course on Lincoln Street did not open to the public this year. City officials have been looking at acquiring a portion of the land to keep as open space, or for recreational use.