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Advisory committee to recommend Concord pursue acquisition of former STARMet site, report says
Summary
Members of the advisory committee told the Main Street Oversight Committee they will recommend that the Town of Concord move toward acquiring the former STARMet site now and direct legal work on lien and liability protections; potential reuses discussed include trails, battery storage near an existing solar field, DPW relocation and a transit stop.
The advisory committee preparing reuse recommendations for the former STARMet site will recommend that the Town of Concord pursue acquisition of the property, a committee member told the Main Street Oversight Committee.
Speaker 2, who said they are now a member of the advisory committee following a vacancy, explained the group has completed a straw poll and plans to include a recommendation that the town move forward with acquisition and have legal counsel prepare lien and liability protections so the town could pursue reuse planning before or during cleanup.
Members listed potential reuse concepts the advisory committee is considering, including town trails and viewing platforms around the bog and sphagnum areas; battery storage co-located with the town’s nearby solar field and electrical substation; relocating DPW facilities from Keyes Road to the site; and creating a public transit stop for Cross Connect buses that serve Maynard and Acton.
Speaker 2 said the advisory committee had not reached a firm reuse decision because other sites (Peabody School, a Forest Ridge Road parcel) might be available and because integrated town planning is needed to weigh trade-offs. The advisory committee will vote on report wording and present recommendations to the Select Board when finalized.
Public comment at the meeting praised the oversight committee for detailed technical review and urged members not to hesitate to escalate any major health or safety concerns during the EPA process. Committee members noted that town acquisition would give Concord greater leverage to request additional protective measures during cleanup and to set reuse conditions.
