With a final vote of 59 to 41, Mattapoisett voters turned down an article to purchase a parcel of land on Chapel Road at Monday’s Special Town Meeting, which also became a debate on protecting open space.

Resident Brad Hathaway and sponsors sought $125,000 from the Community Preservation Fund to purchase land that came on the market last spring. A motion did pass that adjusted the price to $110,000 after explaining that the costs were less than previously thought.

“This is not only for the folks that live on Chapel Road. I think of it more as open space that is important to the rural character of Mattapoisett,” said Hathaway.

But James Dildine argued that few would benefit from preserving the land.

“Everybody loves open space, everybody loves squirrels. Nobody is going to use this land except the squirrels and the neighbors across the street,” he said.

The land is one part of a larger island that buffers Chapel Road from Route 6. More than 300 residents signed a petition to try to preserve the land.

Hathaway said the town has relied on the Mattapoisett Land Trust to acquire land while the Community Preservation Act has not purchased any open space.

John Decosta, Chair of the Community Preservation Committee, said the group was split on whether or not to support the purchase. The Finance Committee, however, was not in favor of it.

“We know that there are a number of other articles that the Community Preservation Committee will need to look at for funding. We thought it was only fair that this article be considered along with other community preservation needs,” said Finance Committee Chair Gary Johnson.

As President of the Land Trust, Johnson also said the parcel did not meet the Trust’s acquisition criteria. “That’s not to say that we don’t think it has value as open space.”

Ruth Bates said she was originally against the purchase, but realized that value of small open spaces. “I’ve changed my mind totally and I think it’s time to spend some money on open space since the Land Trust has always done it for us,” she said.

Dildine made a motion to indefinitely postpone the article which carried 59 to 41.