Conservation commission seeks city meeting after Coles Pond access lot posted 'no trespassing'

The Conservation Commission said the access parcel for Coles Pond Road — which the commission and the public have used to launch boats and reach the Lily Pond easement — has been posted “no trespassing” and is temporarily unavailable. Commission members said the posting grew from a dispute between the Coles Pond Road Association and the city over maintenance costs, and that the closure raises questions about whether city ownership of adjoining parcels guarantees public right of way along the road. The commission decided to ask the city manager to meet with members to clarify the posting and the public’s access. Commissioners also asked staff to verify the status of the recorded easements and continue work on a previously discussed easement-monitoring arrangement. Members reported they were told by City staff member Shane Connell that signs were placed on the access lot per city order; the commission said it would inspect the site and pursue clarification of the legal and maintenance issues that triggered the posting. The discussion overlapped with the commission’s longer-term work on a wildlife-management plan for the Lily Pond parcel. Members said access questions should be resolved at the same time as management planning because staff and volunteers will need reliable access to implement invasive-species control and monitoring. Action items recorded by the commission include scheduling a meeting with the city manager and having staff circulate existing easement documents and maps to the commission for review. No formal policy or vote was taken at the meeting on access or easement enforcement.