The Town of Lakeville Open Space Committee on Aug. 7 said it has sent the 2025 Open Space Plan to the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation for review and is awaiting any comments or required edits.

"It's gone to DCR," Joan told members, adding that the planning board provided updates and the select board was to send a letter of approval. "Now we just wait to see what they want us to do. So it's out of our hands now," she said.

Separately, members reviewed the committee's conservation-restriction inventory and flagged several issues: missing parcel ID numbers, inconsistent labeling where a single CR covers multiple parcel IDs, and the presence of some properties enrolled only in Chapter 61B (annual agricultural or recreational classification) that may not belong on the CR list.

Committee members noted many CRs and APRs (agricultural preservation restrictions) are "in perpetuity," while others have explicit expiration dates. The assessor's input helped identify which entries lack expiration information. The committee discussed the Wildlands Trust parcels, Mass Audubon properties and a Farm Viability Enhancement Program agreement with an expiration date given in the meeting as "March 31, '35." Joan said she would verify details and parcel IDs and return corrected listings to the group.

Why it matters: Accurate CR and Chapter 61 inventories are essential for the town's conservation planning and for informing landowners about protections and potential eligibility for programs such as Chapter 61, APRs and agricultural covenants.

Details: Members discussed how some CRs appear as multiple parcel entries in the spreadsheet even though they are a single deed restriction covering contiguous parcels; the committee agreed to merge such entries where appropriate and to capture all parcel ID numbers. The assessor is continuing to cross-check the list and will report back with missing parcel identifiers and clarifications on Chapter 61 vs. CR status.

Next steps: Joan will verify CR ownership and expiration dates, check Mass Audubon and Wildlands Trust records, and provide an updated list at the next meeting. The committee also agreed to remove properties that are Chapter 61B only from the CR inventory if they do not have formal deed restrictions.