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Concord Natural Resources director updates commission on park plans and conservation properties
Summary
Director Eugenia updated the Natural Resources Commission on Giroux Park mitigation and view-shed work at Warner's Pond, preliminary plans for reusing the historic Harrington House (which would require an Article 97 conversion), and options to keep Madison Field farmed, including a possible winter-rye trial.
Sarah Greenwood, chair of the Natural Resources Commission, opened the meeting and asked staff for the director’s update. Eugenia reported that mitigation commitments at Giroux Park had been met and that the Friends of Warner’s Pond will prepare a conceptual plan to address neighbors’ concerns that new plantings block views to the pond.
Eugenia told commissioners the Select Board is reviewing town-owned properties for possible reuse and noted one early concept for Harrington House: carving a conforming house lot around the oldest intact farmhouse in West Concord and placing a historic-protection restriction on that lot before sale. She emphasized that such a plan would require an Article 97 conversion under the Public Lands Protection Act — a process that, if pursued, would need unanimous NRC approval, a vote at Town Meeting and approval by the state legislature.
On Madison Field, Eugenia said the 40+-acre parcel, which carries an agricultural preservation restriction requiring that it be farmed, has lacked a stable farmer for two years. She described outreach to potential farmers and a proposed pilot to try winter-rye cover cropping under a license, with the town to use a standard licensing arrangement if a farmer signs on.
The director closed by announcing the Warner’s Pond Task Force will meet Sept. 10 at 5 p.m.; subgroups on dredging, dam removal and short-term actions continue to meet in the interim.
The commission did not take formal action on the reuse concepts but asked staff to keep them informed and to bring more detailed proposals and timelines back to a future meeting.
