Land Purchase Receives Green Light at Special Town Meeting

The Town of Acton received the OK from voters at Special Town Meeting to purchase a parcel of land for $1.37 million.

The 20-plus acre parcel at Arlington Street and Newtown Road is seen as a key piece of land in town to preserve open space and wildlife habitat.

The $1.37 million will come from the Community Preservation Fund Open Space funds ($1.06 million), the Community Preservation Fund balance ($50,000) and $260,000 in free cash.

The vote authorizes the Board of Selectmen to exercise the Town’s first refusal option, acquire by purchase, gift, eminent domain or otherwise, on such terms and conditions as the Selectmen may determine, and accept a deed of fee simple interest in a portion of the real property depicted on Assessors’ Map D-3 as Parcel 10, consisting of approximately 20.68 acres of open space for conservation purposes, the Community Preservation Act.

The vote also authorizes and directs the Board of Selectmen to impose a perpetual Conservation Restriction on the open space so acquired, authorizes and directs the Board of Selectmen to delegate the management of the Conservation Land to the Conservation Commission subject to the perpetual Conservation Restriction; and authorizes the Board of Selectmen, the Town Manager, the Treasurer, and the Conservation Commission, as appropriate, to enter into all agreements and execute any and all instruments as may be necessary to effect this article.

Selectmen did not support the article.

Special Town Meeting was taped by ActonTV, but was not live streamed.