Uxbridge Open Space Committee inventories town parcels, flags heavy dumping at Beacon Street site

The Town of Uxbridge Open Space Committee spent its meeting reviewing site visits and scores for roughly 45 town-owned parcels and discussing cleanup, access and outreach plans, members said.

Russ Holden, Open Space Committee member, opened the discussion by noting a town-meeting article to sell a parcel along the railroad had been withdrawn and that the committee should be prepared to advise if other warrant articles affect open-space holdings. Robin Nasidi, Open Space Committee member, said she had downloaded the Oct. 28 town-warrant and would circulate it to committee members for closer review.

The bulk of the meeting consisted of a parcel-by-parcel review of properties assigned across three documents. Members described the site characteristics they observed during recent visits — wetlands, flooding, historic features, parking and access — then assigned scores intended to reflect ecological, recreational and educational value. "With the new link he added in, it added 2 points," Nasidi said, explaining how Biomap and resilience overlays influence the committee's scoring.

Several sites drew particular attention. A parcel behind the DPW near Blackstone Street was described as accessible with easy parking and river access; members said it could be improved as a walking area. By contrast, smaller "sliver" parcels were sometimes used for drainage and may have been taken by the town during development, members said, suggesting historical records should be checked before recommending changes.

The committee flagged 18 Beacon Street as a high-priority cleanup and stewardship candidate. "It is full of trash, tires, a jacuzzi filter, mattresses," Nasidi said, describing widespread illegal dumping on the parcel near Taft and Whiting schools and the Mumford River. Members noted about 1.8 acres of wetlands on the 4.06-acre site and said the ecological value, combined with proximity to schools, made it a strong candidate for restoration. Steve Frodo, Open Space Committee member, urged municipal responsibility: "If the town owns it, the town should be cleaning it up."

Members discussed other properties including a suspected historic quarry on Granite Street where stone outcrops and drill marks suggested interpretive signage; a large contiguous recreation area accessed from Sutton Street and adjoining conservation land; and Chocolog Swamp State Natural Area where state and town ownership mix and preservation rather than public access may be appropriate.

Committee members also proposed outreach ideas to increase use and stewardship of smaller neighborhood parcels: putting up signs, producing a map of walking and paddling sites, and running a trail challenge similar to regional programs. Members suggested partnering with the historical commission and conservation groups to install plaques and to promote the town as an outdoor-recreation destination to help fund improvements.

Procedurally, a member moved to approve the minutes from the prior meeting; a second was called and the minutes were approved by voice vote. The committee then moved to adjourn, and members voted to end the evening.

Next steps: members will continue scoring assigned properties, verify ownership and conservation-restriction records where needed, circulate the town-meeting warrant and prepare outreach ideas for the committee's next meeting prior to the Oct. 28 town meeting.