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Commission discusses 5–10 year plan and Fields Farm access; staff to contact town engineer on parking and access options
Summary
The commission reviewed long-term objectives including forest management, inventories, and land acquisition and focused on Fields Farm access — commissioners identified a need for a survey or engineering review and agreed to contact the town engineer (DPW head Dawn Tuomala) about potential access and curb-cut options.
At its regular meeting the Merrimack Conservation Commission worked through proposed long-range goals — from a forester contract and infrastructure inventory to land acquisition and fragmentation reduction — and focused detailed attention on Fields Farm, a large conservation parcel the commission said requires formal access and management planning.
Commissioners agreed several near-term tasks: update or reissue a request for proposals for a forester, produce an inventory of built structures (bridges, kiosks, observation decks) and create management schedules, and gather subcommittee reports on current management activities. Commission members emphasized the need for a formal forester retainer or contract to guide timber- and habitat-management work across parcels.
On Fields Farm, commissioners reported the property is heavily used and lacks an obvious, legal parking or curb-cut access from Amherst Road. The commission said users frequently park at the Horse Hill lot and cross private property to reach Fields Farm trails. Commissioners agreed the first practical step is to consult a surveyor or the town engineer to determine whether direct access or a curb cut can be safely and legally created; the meeting named DPW head Dawn Tuomala (spelled in the transcript) as a staff contact and identified topography and wetlands as constraints. One commissioner estimated Fields Farm “close to 100 acres,” and members said creating an access plan will include surveying, assessing parking needs and considering whether a dedicated subcommittee for Fields Farm is warranted.
No binding acquisition actions were proposed; commissioners discussed land-acquisition outreach and the need for a point person to cultivate relationships with prospective donors and landowners. Andrew volunteered to begin learning the acquisition process for a specific parcel discussed in the meeting, and commissioners suggested creating a short list of priority parcels from the town master plan and GZA inventory for follow-up.
