Selectmen approved the use of a town-owned parcel of land by the A & J Boatyard after the company was told to remove boats from the site this summer.

Board members met with boatyard owner Ritchie Patten and his attorney Elizabeth Kunz Tuesday night. Selectmen granted Patten permission to store boats on the land through the winter.

“Patten is making an earnest effort to come up with a solution where to store the boats,” Town Administrator Paul Dawson said. “I think it makes perfect sense to accommodate this request.”

In June, the Conservation Commission requested that the boats be removed.

The boatyard, founded 1962, had used the land long before the town purchased it in 1996 for conservation reasons. The land is adjacent to A & J Boatyard, located at 840 Point Road.

Patten had the property surveyed in 2003 when he bought the business. He discovered boats were being stored outside on the town-owned land.

According to Kunz, Patten then sought advice on the matter from someone in municipal government.

“He was told it was fine,” Kunz said. “We have no idea who he spoke to.”

Kunz said using the land through winter is temporary.

“In the meantime, he is seeking an alternate location to store the boats or potentially purchase land,” Kunz said.