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DCR seeks town cooperation to clear title, grant easement for Southern New England Trunk Line Trail gap
Summary
The Department of Conservation and Recreation asked the selectmen for approval to work with the town to obtain an easement and to bring a confirmatory deed/town‑meeting article to resolve historic title issues on a segment of the Southern New England Trunk Line Trail in Blackstone.
Sean Preventure, Land Protection Specialist for the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR), told the board DCR is advancing plans to close a gap in the Southern New England Trunk Line (SNET) Trail that runs through Blackstone.
Preventure said the gap includes three parcels: a roughly 900‑foot segment owned by the City of Woonsocket, a half‑mile section owned by the Town of Blackstone (from Farm Street to the back of Castle Hill condominiums), and a parcel owned by Castle Hill Way Condominium up to Route 122. DCR reported the agency has been speaking with Woonsocket’s attorneys and is researching title for the town‑owned segment.
Preventure asked the board for two forms of cooperation: authority for DCR to work with the town to obtain an easement to allow trail planning and development, and permission to bring a confirmatory‑deed town‑meeting warrant article to clean up title problems that date to 19th‑century land transfers.
Selectmen confirmed they want town counsel to review proposed warrant language and indicated they were comfortable with staff and the DCR working together to prepare a town‑meeting article and easement language. Town counsel (Ethan, as referenced during the discussion) already is assisting with draft language, the selectmen said, and the board asked that the item be kept on the next meeting agenda so a final recommendation and possible warrant article can be advanced.
The board did not vote on an easement that night; members instructed staff to coordinate with DCR and counsel and to return with proposed language and an article timetable for the warrant.
