Selectmen approve 10-year barn preservation easement for 845 Long Ridge Road

The Loudon Board of Selectmen voted Wednesday to grant a 10-year barn preservation easement on 845 Long Ridge Road following a public hearing and a motion approved unanimously.

The easement was requested by homeowners Jeff Moore and Larry Moore, who appeared at the hearing to describe the property and answer questions. Jeff Moore told the board the barn is part of an eight-generation farm and “it’s still actively used for agriculture.” He said maintenance work had been done recently, including replacing part of the roof, and that the site draws visitors: “Probably had 2,000 visitors go through the barn during March alone.”

The easement program under which the application was made requires periodic renewal. The board noted the town’s assessor had reviewed the property and “highly recommends the preservation easement on this particular location.” After the public comment period, a selectman moved to grant the easement for 10 years from the meeting date; the motion was seconded and passed with an affirmative voice vote.

The board closed the public hearing after the vote and asked the property owners to sign documents required for the town to record the deed. No formal objections were raised during the hearing.

Selectmen and town staff who spoke at the hearing emphasized the application met the program criteria and that the assessor’s review supported the recommendation. The easement will be recorded as a deed restriction for the stated period; administrative steps to record it were described as the next actions.

The easement approval was a single-item formal action from the board on the matter; there were no amendments or further conditions attached at the meeting.