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Bolton PZC unanimously recommends town buy 53-acre Stangeland parcel for open space
Summary
The Bolton Planning & Zoning Commission unanimously recommended the town purchase the Stangeland property—a roughly 53-acre parcel near Bailey Road and Bolton High School—finding the acquisition consistent with the town POCD and open-space goals; the purchase still requires town meeting approval.
The Bolton Planning & Zoning Commission recommended on June 14 that the town proceed with buying the Stangeland property, a roughly 53-acre parcel adjacent to Bailey Road and Bolton High School, using funds in the town’s Open Space Preservation, Acquisition, and Conservation Fund.
First Selectman Robert Morra reported the Board of Selectmen had reached an agreement to purchase the land and referred the transaction to the PZC under Connecticut General Statutes §8-24. Richard Treat, speaking for the Bolton Land Trust, urged the commission to support the purchase, saying it preserves a large contiguous forest block, protects a high-traffic wildlife habitat and offers potential for recreation and future trail connections including to Heritage Farm.
Commissioner Adam Teller moved that the PZC recommend the town acquire the property as consistent with the town's Plan of Conservation and Development (POCD), and James Cropley seconded. The motion passed unanimously, vote 7-0-0. The selectmen's agreement and the PZC recommendation do not by themselves finalize the purchase; the town must approve the acquisition at a town meeting.
Meeting minutes record the parcel as "53.5 acres" in the selectman's report and the motion text refers to "53.4 acres." The minutes do not reconcile the two figures; the commission recommended the purchase without changing the stated funding source (the town's Open Space Preservation, Acquisition, and Conservation Fund).
Next steps: the purchase will proceed subject to the town meeting vote and any further administrative steps required by the Board of Selectmen and town counsel.
