Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Land Preservation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Select board reviews forest‑preserve grant hurdles, surveys and access easement
Summary
Select board members heard details about a pending state grant for a recently acquired 129–134 acre forest preserve, surveyed acreage, an access easement requirement, and tens of thousands in pre‑grant costs including title insurance, appraisal and environmental review.
A Select Board member told colleagues April 15 that a state grant earmarked for a recently purchased town forest preserve could cover the full purchase price if the parcel appraises high enough, but several administrative and access hurdles remain.
The speaker said surveying increased the preserve’s recorded acreage from about 129 acres to roughly 134 acres, and that the survey work cost approximately $18,000. A separate grant covered $11,000 of that surveying cost after an intermediary organization reduced the pass‑through amount, the speaker said.
The board was told title insurance presents a central problem because the preserve parcel is effectively landlocked. The town’s attorney and title researcher advised that insurers generally will not issue title insurance on land without a documented road access, so the town will need to establish a formal access easement linking the preserve to Stump Dump Road and an existing, repairable old road before an insurer will underwrite the parcel.
If the town successfully documents access and meets the remaining application requirements, the state grant would cover the purchase price because the land was bought at a “bargain sale” and any appraised uplift can be counted as the town’s match. The presenter said that outcome would eliminate the ordinary 50% local match requirement—but only if the appraisal and paperwork satisfy state rules.
Board members and the presenter listed remaining pre‑grant expenses that will need funding: title insurance, an appraisal, an environmental hazards assessment, attorney fees, recording fees and other incidental costs. The presenter estimated those items could total in the tens of thousands of dollars and said the town plans to use a mix of reserves, donations and a targeted fundraising campaign (including a possible “Friends of the Forest Preserve” group) to cover shortfalls while the grant paperwork is completed.
The presenter noted timing constraints: once the grant award is finalized and funds are released, the town must have a 10‑year management plan in place within 18 months. That plan will include a forest‑management backbone prepared by a forester and likely additional trail work, invasive‑species control and signage that may be completed by a mix of volunteers and paid contractors.
Board members asked staff to clarify exact cost estimates and timing and to return with recommended budget or reserve actions to bridge any gaps until donations and grant reimbursements arrive. No final appropriation beyond preliminary reserve direction was made; members moved to recommend a supplemental budget placeholder for the commission’s related requests.
