Greenland commission recommends conditional use of town easement to access Brackett parcel

On April 8, 2026, the Greenland Conservation Commission voted to recommend allowing use of a town-owned easement so a landlocked parcel owned by Tom Brackett can be accessed, subject to a wetlands and forestry feasibility study.

The push centered on landowner Tom Brackett’s plan for his son to plant an apple orchard on a parcel he described as landlocked by surrounding parcels and a strip of town-owned land. Brackett told the board he had spoken with the Town Administrator and Town Planner Mark Fougere and said the town had signaled interest in divesting the adjacent piece. He raised concerns about how wet the area is and whether a crossing over the railroad tracks could be reinstalled.

The board asked technical questions about site conditions, potential tote-road versus farm-trail access, and tree-species choices and a possible “fire hazard.” Resident Deb Beck told the commission the current railroad operator, CRX, allows a crossing to her property, noting CRX acquired the line more recently than the 1990s timeframe Brackett referenced.

Conservation Commission member Chip Hussey moved to recommend approval for use of the easement contingent on, at minimum, a New Hampshire forestry/wetlands scientist consultation to determine the feasibility of tote-road access through the town-owned Area B shown on the plan to R12 34B (Brackett’s property) if the railroad will not allow a crossing. Member Jean Eno offered an amendment; Hussey re-stated the motion and member Alice Passer seconded. The motion passed with all members voting in favor.

The recommendation recorded at the meeting requires the stated ecological and feasibility review before any physical access work proceeds. The minutes do not record any final decision by the railroad or a timeline for the required consult.