Pyhtää council rejects citizens’ initiative on Keihässalmi marina development

The Pyhtää municipal council has decided against swiftly reacquiring the controversial Keihässalmi marina area. In response to over 700 signatures on a citizens’ initiative calling for the municipality to negotiate or even expropriate the land, the council emphasized the need for patience and aimed to resolve the issue through discussions among the various parties involved.

Concerns among residents center around the potential loss of access to the marina, which is owned by prominent entrepreneur and former MP Eero Lehti, who plans to develop a seashore village in the area.

Two members of the municipal council from the True Finns party expressed dissenting opinions, arguing that the initiative should be sent back for further preparation and more thorough exploration of alternatives. They suggested that the municipality could acquire the marina area for public use. However, their proposal was rejected in a council vote, with the outcome being 7-2 against re-evaluation.

The council’s recent resolution highlighted that expropriation would significantly harm its reputation as a business-friendly municipality. Additionally, the legal criteria for such land acquisition remain unclear and have not been adequately examined.

Eero Lehti had limited access to the marina last spring following a legal complaint regarding the area’s street planning. He previously closed a public boat launch with rock barriers, and parking in the area has since become paid. The council reiterated the importance of patience while awaiting a decision from the administrative court regarding the appeal.