While the main attraction to the Special Town Meeting scheduled for November 18 at the high school is the proposed zoning overlay districts allowing multi-family housing in four small areas of town (note my article/blog from last week), there will be a handful of other articles that will come before voters.
Included will be revisions to the Town’s stormwater bylaw that will bring us into compliance with EPA requirements, possible amendments to the Town’s short-term rental bylaws, and a proposal to use Community Preservation Funds to support a large land conservation deal straddling the Manchester/Gloucester boundary line.
Essex County Greenbelt, a land conservation organization founded in 1961, has protected over 21,500 acres in the area. They have assembled a new opportunity to protect another 330 acres including land in the Long Hill part of town—near Colburn Road—and extending into Gloucester. Currently the land is owned by the DeNormandie family who have signed a purchase and sales agreement with Essex County Greenbelt. The organization has/is raising the bulk of the needed $3 million to purchase the 330 acres but is seeking $250,000 from the Town’s Community Preservation Fund to close the deal by early 2025. Thus, the request is coming before voters now rather than waiting until the Annual Town Meeting in April.
The proposed acquisition is part of an expanse of forest land that links land owned by the City of Gloucester for drinking water protection, conservation land owned by the Town of Manchester at Dexter Pond, and existing parcels owned by Greenbelt and the Manchester Essex Conservation Trust (MECT.) The headwaters of two Manchester streams, Cat Brook and Wolf Creek, originate in the project area. Discounting Route 128, the land connects with thousands of additional acres to the north into Essex, Manchester, and Gloucester creating a truly regionally important resource.
The Town’s Master Plan identified the importance of preserving additional lands in this part of town in addition to the Western Woods near the Beverly boundary and the Gordon Woods. Currently some 30% of the town is conserved. The gold standard is to have 40% of a community under conservation. The proposal has been endorsed by numerous town boards and committees, including the Planning Board, the Conservation Commission, the Open Space and Recreation Committee and the Community Preservation Committee. Additional boards and committees are likely to weigh in as the date for the Special Town Meeting approaches.
A portion of Long Hill was protected back in the 1990’s when the Town teamed up with MECT to protect 120 acres. This new request includes an unprotected 30-acre parcel at the top of Colburn Road. The conservation restriction alone for these 30 acres has been appraised at $1.35 million. The Town is being asked to contribute $250,000 toward this particular 30-acre parcel, a portion of the 330 total acres involved.
Upon closing, Greenbelt would take ownership of the 330 acres that would be permanently protected and open to the public for passive recreational purposes. An extensive trail network already exists. Small improvements to existing parking spots along Colburn Road may be made for improved access from Manchester. For the Gloucester land, the City would hold the conservation restriction on the land. Manchester can do the same for lands in Manchester.
The bulk of the funding is coming from a state EEA Landscape Partnership Grant, private foundation funding and individual donations. The Select Board will continue their discussion of the proposal at their next meeting on October 21.
Back to the main attraction for the STM, 3(A) zoning amendments; the Planning Board, after making some additional adjustments based on resident comments and hearing positive feedback from the state, gave final approval to the proposal. They will host a formal public hearing on the proposal on Monday October 28. Additional public forums and presentations will continue right up until the Special Town Meeting on November 18th. Visit the Town’s website for more information.
