Town Meeting approves $2.3 million in Community Preservation allocations, debates disc golf and 17 Woodbury Lane

Town Meeting approved the Community Preservation Committee llocations for the coming year after discussion and selective holds on several proposals.

CPC Chair Jim Coleman presented recommended funding of about $1.9 million from the CPA general fund plus additional open-space and historic set-aside dollars, totaling roughly $2.3 million in recommended awards. Projects recommended included an interpretive panel at Heath Hen Meadow; design and construction of a nine-hole disc-golf course near Narrow Park (item B); a demonstration climate-resilience —living— project at the Red House (item C); support for the Acton Arboretum strategic plan; site work for a playground and garden at a Housing Authority property; final construction and historical signage at 53 River Street; restoration of antique fire apparatus; stabilization work at Theater III; rehabilitation support for a historic industrial property (RH Adhesives) including required preservation conditions; a library preservation assessment; preservation work at Hosmer House for the Acton Historical Society; window replacement at McCarthy Village (Acton Housing Authority); regional housing services support; funding for the Acton Community Housing Corporation; an open-space acquisition set-aside and debt-service contributions for recent open-space purchases.

During discussion speakers asked for maps, maintenance implications and environmental considerations for the disc-golf proposal and voiced a range of views. The CPC and select board said disc golf fits recreation goals and noted the site would use town-owned land abutting Narrow Park; the recreation director said maintenance is low and community take-up tends to be self-supporting. The finance committee recommended the whole article except one item: the committee asked that 17 Woodbury Lane (item M) be held for a separate vote because it had been presented to town meeting previously and had previously failed; CPC explained that most funding for Woodbury Lane has come from federal and other sources and that the CPC award would pay finishing touches that preserve an historic resource.

Town Meeting approved the package items not held by clicker vote, then considered and approved the held items individually. After discussion the 17 Woodbury Lane allocation passed, as did the disc-golf, Red House, RH Adhesives and other projects. CPC said the remaining balances in set-aside funds would be modest after these allocations, and that unspent set-aside funds remain available for future eligible acquisitions or projects.