Rochester’s Select Board is being asked to consider purchasing 29 acres on Snows Pond Road at Snipatuit Pond for $1.3 million to preserve as conservation land.
The discussion began when Town Administrator Cameron Durant announced at the board’s regular meeting Monday that the regional YMCA, which bought the property from the Fairhaven Unitarian Church, is looking to sell it. The church had used the land for a boys’ camp, he said. He proposed that there is some merit in the town considering purchasing the parcel.
“Ultimately, it would be a decision for the Town Meeting,” Durant said. “I believe it has conservation value and natural resources value.”
He asked the board if the idea was worth working through with the Town Attorney and with regional partners. Board members committed only to exploring the question, especially after learning of the $1.3 million price tag.
Russ Keeler of the Rochester Land Trust elaborated on the property’s history. He said the church acquired the land in 1966 with a $50,000 deed that included restrictions on how the site could be used. These limits include that only six acres of it can be developed. The intention was to restrict it to being developed as a youth camp, Keeler said. But that’s not stated explicitly, he said, and a deed restriction expires in 30 years, in this case in 2035.
Keeler said the church held some small camps there at first, but that plan petered out, and the YMCA got cold feet about doing the same. In summary, he said, it would be great for the town to conserve this property.
“But not for $1.3 million,” he said. “That’s asking too much.”
The Select Board’s cool reception to the idea signaled they agreed with Keeler.
“We will proceed with investigating,” Brad Morse said. “We won’t vote on anything tonight.”
The meeting began by approving three new Eversource utility poles at the end of Featherbed Lane, pending approval of their location by Highway Surveyor Jeff Eldridge.
Eversource representative Julie Longa, attending the meeting via Zoom, explained these are needed to power the new solar farm on that street.
Before the positive vote, Thomas Barlow of 188 Featherbed Lane pushed back on Eversource’s plans for his street. He complained that an Eversource pole was recently placed so close to his driveway that he can’t fit his big trailer onto his yard.
He was told Eversource officials would visit him first before placing another pole. But two years later, it appeared without advance notice. Longa responded that she would pay the site a visit as early as the following day to work out a solution.
In other action, the Select Board agreed to close Town Hall on Monday, September 4, at 11:00 am to accommodate the Employee Luncheon planned for that date.
The board approved a citation honoring the Joseph H. Plumb Memorial Library for its 50th anniversary. Durant noted that the library will host a celebration of this milestone on Saturday, August 22.
The Rochester Select Board did not set its next meeting before adjourning.
Rochester Select Board
By Michael J. DeCicco