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Residents urge conservation protections while commissioners stress Town Plan is advisory
Summary
Public commenters raised conservation and habitat-fragmentation concerns while commissioners emphasized that the Town Plan is advisory and not a regulatory tool, and agreed to clarify conservation-related language.
Several residents raised concerns about habitat fragmentation, forest blocks, and the potential for conservation language to affect agricultural land and the town tax base. August Murray (Dr. Murray in the packet) submitted detailed written comments and spoke to the need for clear language distinguishing voluntary conservation measures from regulatory restrictions.
Planning Commission members responded that the Town Plan is intended as a guidance document and not a set of regulations, and said clarifying definitions would be added. Commissioner Howard Beach stated, "conservation does not necessarily mean you cannot farm the land," as commissioners sought to balance conservation goals with protecting farming and property rights. The commission agreed that many topics raised by Dr. Murray would be more appropriately handled at the bylaw level.
