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Tamworth resident urges moratorium on 'anti-housing' easements, committee members push back
Summary
A Tamworth concerned citizen submitted a list of demands arguing that conservation easements and anti-housing groups contribute to the local housing crisis and called for a moratorium and legislative nullification; Nancy Walser and others responded that conservationists do not see themselves as anti-housing and that construction and infrastructure costs drive housing affordability issues.
A Tamworth concerned citizen provided written points to the committee arguing that anti-housing groups and especially anti-housing easement groups have contributed to a local housing crisis and listing five demands, including a moratorium on future easements and legislative nullification of existing easements. The minutes record the citizen's items as: 1) anti-housing groups should acknowledge their contribution to the housing crisis; 2) anti-housing easement groups should acknowledge their role; 3) there should be a moratorium on all future anti-housing easements; 4) legislatures should nullify existing anti-housing easements; and 5) end tax breaks to large landowners.
Nancy Walser responded that conservation commissions and conservationists "do not consider ourselves & other conservationists as anti-housing," noting the committee had heard this concern from thoughtful local citizens and that it warranted attention. Walser also emphasized housing cost drivers in Sandwich, noting an "affordable" house at the low end of the current price range is about $311,000 and that construction costs can be high (the minutes cite construction-cost examples of up to $500 per square foot and as low as $200 per square foot). Ron Albert added that access roads, driveways and septic systems add materially to development costs. The minutes record these exchanges as discussion and do not show any committee vote or policy change in response to the citizen's submission.
