Pembroke’s forward-looking plans to bring more tax revenue to the town through planned commercial growth and infrastructure improvements could take a hit if the National Guard goes through with a plan to buy a $3 million property along routes 3 and 106 for a new training facility.

Selectman Fred Kline said there has been talk between the town and the Guard since 2006, but selectmen made an effort last January to stop the project. Their concern was that if the National Guard buys this 190- acre parcel of land, it would take away the potential for Pembroke to earn between $27,000 and $71,000 in tax revenue as the land comes out of current use and is developed into commercial land.

Last January, Kline said, selectmen wrote wrote letters to everyone they could think of to stop the process.

“We told them our concern was not that they’re coming to Pembroke,” he said, “but that area, commercial 106 area, is one we’ve been working on for decades to make more conducive for business. For them to come in and buy land and drive the tax bill to zero would be a huge problem for Pembroke.”

Aside from the tax revenue concerns, the Pembroke Water Commission also had concerns with contaminating the aquifer below that land due to ammunition. The National Guard apparently took this concern seriously and agreed to eliminate munitions use on that land, said Kline.

“It’s nip and tuck right now,” he said. “The new budget for the state should be finalized Feb. 15. We won’t know for sure until then if project is even still in the budget. Opinion says it will be in the budget. State reps want to know why we’re concerned so late in the process. It might be too far down the decision chain to stop it.”

Kline also pointed out that there will be environmental impact studies to be done before approval.

Nevertheless, right now the land is privately owned by Riverwood Commercial Property, according to town records, and there’s little to stop anyone from selling their land to whomever they want to.