GREENE — A public meeting to discuss the development of a boat dock and picnic area on Cherry Hill Tuesday evening was attended by more than two dozen people, virtually all of them opposed to the plan.

The proposed development includes a dock for launching canoes and kayaks, parking for 10 vehicles, barbecue pits and portable toilets, among other facilities, on the Androscoggin River side of the River Road causeway between Cherry Pond and the river.

The plan, which has not yet been approved by Greene’s Planning Board, is part of an effort by FPL Energy Maine Hydro LLC to abide by federal regulations that require it to create recreational areas on property it acquired when it landed a 42-year lease to operate the Gulf Island Dam in 2006. FPL devised the plan after working with a coalition of local and state-level stakeholders, including the towns of Lewiston, Auburn and Greene, the Maine Department of Environmental Protection, the Androscoggin River Alliance and Androscoggin Watershed Council and several others. A Sun Journal article published Sunday, July 10, incorrectly stated that the town of Greene had developed the plan.

Most residents who attended the meeting voiced opposition to increasing access to the river at Cherry Pond, citing safety concerns and issues with disrespectful visitors.

Cherry Pond and the stretch of Androscoggin River alongside it have become increasingly popular with swimmers, boaters and fishermen as water quality in the Androscoggin has improved over recent decades, said state game warden Dave Chabot, who is also a Greene resident.

But the spot has been well-known among high school students throughout the area and others looking for an outdoor party locale for as much as 50 years, residents say. Those visitors speed down the narrow gravel road that leads to the causeway, leave trash on the beach, light bonfires, and can be rowdy throughout the night, residents said at the meeting.

Concerned that the proposed facilities would attract more unruly visitors, neighbor Mary Anne Courbron showed photos she took of the beach on a recent weekend, including one of a pair of men’s underwear.

“It’s not a family-friendly place,” River Road resident Bob Valentine said during the meeting.

After residents discussed negative experiences with visitors to the water hole for more than an hour, Planning Board member Joe McLean tried to steer the conversation toward ways the plan could be improved to mitigate unwanted use while allowing the public to enjoy the swimming and boating opportunities the river offers.

“I think we all agree it’s a beautiful property,” he said. “Would you rather see nothing happen?”

His question was met with a chorus of “Yes” from attendees, but FPL Recreation Enterprise Manager Ernest DeLuca stressed that while the company could delay building the facilities until the community’s concerns were addressed, whether the Cherry Pond location is ultimately developed or not will be the federal government’s decision.

The Planning Board and members of the audience discussed putting a gate on the property to keep visitors out after dark, posting signs with rules and hours of operation and other methods to solve the problems with unwanted visitors.

Efforts by law enforcement agencies to discourage undesired nighttime activity at Cherry Pond are easier said than done, said Androscoggin County Sheriff Guy Desjardins, who attended the meeting.

He liked the idea of the gate and posting rules, he said, but the Sheriff’s Department, which shares coverage of Greene with the State Police, has few officers to patrol the area, he said.

“I hate to continue to use the excuse that we don’t have resources or that our resources are limited, but they are,” he said.

The Planning Board reviewed FPL’s proposal after the public meeting, and will begin working with the energy company to make improvements on the plan next month, Rebecca Laliberte, the board’s chairman, said. A second public meeting will likely be held before the proposal is approved.