Open Space Committee to consider three new parcels
Date: 2/2/2009
By Courtney Llewellyn
Reminder Assistant Editor
WILBRAHAM In the interest of making open space more accessible to residents, the Open Space and Recreation Plan Committee met with the Board of Selectmen last Monday evening with its requests for three parcels of land to be converted to open space.
Chuck Phillips, the contact person for the Open Space and Recreation Plan Committee (OPRPC), said that last year 10 parcels were originally brought before the selectmen for consideration. Only two of those parcels made it to the voting at the Annual Town Meeting.
The parcels on the table now include 6.6 acres at 30V Leemond St., 4.6 acres at 27V Tinkham Glen and 24.2 acres at 68V (B) Brainard Rd. The Leemond Street and Brainard Road parcels are currently zoned municipal, while the land off Tinkham Glen is under cluster zoning.
"These three...would provide much improved public access [to existing open space]," Phillips told the Board of Selectmen.
"Acquisition of the parcel [off Leemond Street] would enhance public access to Town Open Space and walking trails provided by neighboring owners and Town Conservation lands," literature from the OPRPC stated.
The parcel off Brainard "has the potential to link to both 30V Leemond and the proposed Open Space in the rear of the Washington Heights Subdivision," and 27V Tinkham Glen would connect directly to 4V Southwood Dr.
Selectman Dave Barry wanted to gather more input from other town boards and officials before moving forward with consideration of any of the parcels.
"I don't want to turn something over [into open space] and in two years say 'Uh-oh,'" Barry said.
Patrick Brady, chair of the Board of Selectmen, agreed, adding he specifically would like to see input from the Town Counsel, the Planning Board and the Fire Department.
"We're in the information gathering stage," Brady stated. "We need to disperse the information and get feedback."
Town Administrator Robert Weitz said feedback from the various town departments should be back within a month.
Phillips said he and the OSRPC are also interested in hosting an information session to gather input from abutters and the public. The committee hosted one last year to figure out which of the 10 proposed parcels would be the most feasible to pursue for open space.
The goals of the OPRPC are to maintain support of town boards and the public at large, to actively manage growth to protect rural atmosphere, scenic areas, historic sites and community character, to preserve and protect environmental resources and to plan for recreation opportunities.
