Ashland Close To Finalizing Land Deal
Officials in Ashland could be close to purchasing 118 acres of undeveloped land for $5 million from Boston's Northeastern University.
But the process to get the land has not been an easy one.
Warren Woods, on Chestnut Street near the Holliston town line, was bequeathed to the school decades ago. Some town residents want to purchase the land to ensure it remains undeveloped and to preserve its historical significance.
Henry Warren was one of the town's most famous historical figures and the inventor of the electric clock. He gave the land to Northeastern University after the town declined to take the land because Warren wanted a school built on it.
Northeastern put the parcel up for sale for an undisclosed price in 2009 and the town originally offered $1.5 million and then $3.5 million to buy it, but both offers were rejected, according to Cheri Vallone, chairman of the Ashland Conservation Commission. Northeastern then asked for $8 million.
Town and school officials appeared to have compromised on a $5 million price, but a purchase and sales agreement must still be finalized.
Open Space, Open Debate
So why is the town spending $5 million on empty land?
"It's the last big plot of land in town and it's a beautiful spot," Vallone said.
Officials will use money from the Community Preservation Act Fund, which was established in 2002 and funded through a surcharge on local property tax bills. The state supplies matching funds for what Ashland collects. Because community preservation funds will be used, taxes will not increase because of the land purchase, Vallone said. Town Meeting recently overwhelmingly supported the expenditure.
Various studies show that more than 75 homes could be built on the site, or a large commercial or industrial development. Vallone said those are undesirable options. The cost of having that many new residents in the community would outweigh the increased tax revenue, she argued.
Vallone said she can't blame Northeastern University for the negotiating process, but she said some people in town were hoping Northeastern might be willing to give the land back to the town at no cost, since it was donated to the school in the first place.
Northeastern also owns the Warren Woods Conference Center across the street from the vacant land, which has not put up for sale.
Contentious negotiations for open space are not uncommon, especially when one of the parties involved is an institution, according to Bernie McHugh, director of the Massachusetts Land Trust Coalition in Sudbury.
"They treat this land as a potential asset, so they have an interest in maximizing their return," he said.
Deals to purchase land from family ownership, generally speaking, are usually smoother.
Open land has been a priority for the Deval Patrick administration. During the past four years, the state has spent more than $200 million to protect 75,000 acres of land, adding to the 1.2 million acres that already have the no-development designation.
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