Public hearing to weigh input on community garden at Brown Farm
Date: 5/2/2013
By Chris Maza
chrism@thereminder.comEAST LONGMEADOW — A public hearing will take place on May 7 to address plans for a community garden on the town-owned Brown Farm property.
Selectman Debra Boronski, who has been involved in developing the proposed usage for the land, along with the Friends of the Brown Farm, said the hearing would provide an opportunity for the public to explore details about the plan and voice any comments or concerns.
The hearing is slated to begin at 6 p.m. in the Town Hall meeting room.
"The town of East Longmeadow, like any other entity that wishes to develop land, must provide a plan and have a public hearing," Boronski said. "Basically, the town is following its own rules by taking this before the Planning Board and following the same procedures as everyone else."
Because the town owns the land, residents will not be asked to vote on whether the proposed project should be allowed or not.
"The property itself was bought with [Community Preservation Act] funding and under those regulations, it is an allowable use," Boronski said.
Other town departments will also have the opportunity to address any problems or concerns with what the town plans to do with the land.
"We have to make sure we're not breaking any rules," Boronski said. "We want to allow the Police Department, the Fire Department and the [Department of Public Works] to take a look at the project and make sure that everything is alright."
One area of concern that has already been voiced is safety of motorists driving by the entrance of the farm on Hampden Road while others attempt to enter and exit the property. Those issues are being addressed, according to Boronski.
"One of the suggestions is to lower the speed limit. Also as part of this plan we would widen the entrance to allow cars to enter and exit at the same time. Right now, it's just a narrow dirt driveway," she said. "People are already using the property, entering through that dirt driveway and using the trails and things like that, so we're making it safer not only for people using the gardens, but also for the people who are already using the property."
The Brown Farm was purchased by the town with Community Preservation Act funding in 2009 for the purpose of active and passive recreation.
The Friends of the Brown Farm have pursued a plan that would include the restoration of the buildings on the site that were originally slated to be demolished, the clean up and marking of the trails and eventually use the site to host organizations such as 4-H.
