Newton Takes Webster Woods From Boston College By Eminent Domain

NEWTON, MA — City Councilors voted to acquire the nearly 18 acres of woodland called "Webster Woods" to cheers Monday night.

Neighbors - including the mayor - have been concerned that the woods, which sit along the state-owned Hammond Pond Parkway in Chestnut Hill and connect to the city owned Webster Conservation Area, the Hammond Pond Reservation and the Cohen Conservation Area, will be developed by Boston College. So, in September the mayor announced she was taking steps to ensure that wouldn't happen, to the protests of Boston College.

The city council Monday agreed to take the property from Boston College by eminent domain, despite pushback from the school and some students, who attended the city council meeting.

Jack Dunn of Boston College previously told Patch that within the past year, the school offered options to the mayor that included a land swap, and she did not respond to the proposal.

Dunn said the college was disappointed with the vote.

"This costly ordeal could have been avoided if the Mayor had not cut off negotiations, or had agreed to a land swap," Dunn said in an email to Patch. "Now we will challenge the taking and the Mayor's appraisal of the land's value in court. Our contention remains that the Mayor and City Council, in an attempt to sell their plan to apprehensive Newton residents, have grossly underestimated the value of the property and the legal costs associated with its seizure."

The mayor, for her part, said she felt strongly about the decision.

"Eminent domain is not something I take lightly, but I am certain that preserving this forest for our children, grandchildren and for centuries to come is the right thing to do," said Mayor Ruthanne Fuller in a statement following the vote.

The property was once part of a 25 acre parcel owned by Congregation Mishkan Tefila until it sold to Boston College in 2016 for around $20 million, complete with about 8 acres of land with synagogue, parking in addition to the woods. At that time, Boston College said it offered the land to Newton, but the city didn't want it.

What’s next?

The mayor will sign the order and by the end of the month make it official with the South Middlesex Registry of Deeds and send a check to for $15.2 million to the school within two months of that.

Fuller said the city was prepared for Boston College's challenge.

"We know the issue may be in the court system for a number of years, but the land’s value will be as of the date we file the Order of Taking," she said in a statement.

The city council plans to pay for a potentially larger acquisition price or additional legal fees by appealing to the Community Preservation Committee for additional funds, a $200,000 donation from the Friends of Webster Woods.

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Patch reporter Jenna Fisher can be reached at Jenna.Fisher@patch.com or by calling 617-942-0474. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram (@ReporterJenna).