The Conservation Commission was asked to draw money from the Conservation Fund to be used for the planning and surveying of a potential rail trail that will provide open access to conservation areas in town at their recent meeting.
The proposed request was presented by Director of Planning and Conservation Emilie Cademartori, on behalf of the Town’s Open Space and Recreation Working Group.
The project will include a rail trail that will run along the Jordan Road Greenbelt and connect the greenbelt to the Broad Meadows Conservation Area.
Additionally, a trail will be constructed that stretches from the rail trail and loops around Broad Meadows.
Currently, the Town-owned parcel that connects the Broad Meadows Conservation Land is “relatively wet,” Cademartori said.
She added a parcel next to the Town-owned portion, which is drier is owned by the New England Power Company.
“We asked New England Power if they would consider granting the town an easement so that we could create a trail, so that if you’re on the rail trail and you wanted to go take a loop through the woods, you could go do that,” Cademartori said.
Cademartori said New England Power was willing to consider allowing the Town to create a trail on their parcel, with the stipulation that the town must present an official plan.
She said the Open Space and Recreation Working Group sought a proposal from a surveying company and received a price of $2,920 to prepare the plan to submit to New England Power.
“We have a legitimate proposal from a surveyor. And so the request is that the conservation fund, which is under the sole control of this board, be used to fund the survey work to create this potential access,” she said.
A motion to approve the disbursement of funds was made by Commission member Maria Fernandez-Donovan and passed unanimously.
