GREENFIELD — The Conservation Commission has asked Mayor Roxann Wedegartner to request a vote by City Council to transfer into its custody the 13-acre parcel of city land on Stone Ridge Lane that abuts the Rocky Mountain Conservation Area.
“It basically offers wider protection for the property,” Conservation Commission Chair Travis Drury explained during a meeting this week.
The 13-acre parcel, which was privately owned for decades, contains a network of trails that previous owners had left open to the public. Concerns about a previously planned auction of the land at 87 Stone Ridge Lane — which also contained a 6-acre parcel with a house — were initially raised by the Conservation Commission in a letter to the mayor that was drafted at a special meeting in September.
Wedegartner agreed to delay the auction, while the Conservation Commission met several times to consider options for conserving the land. Commissioners discussed the potential of splitting the two parcels on Stone Ridge Lane, so at the very least, the 13 acres could be retained by the city and — pending a City Council vote — transferred to the commission’s custody.
In October, Wedegartner announced the city would retain the land rather than send it to auction. The 6-acre parcel, meanwhile, was sold for $270,000 to a Hadley man on Oct. 13. Back taxes for the property totaled $60,000.
Coming before the Conservation Commission on Tuesday, Wedegartner inquired what the board was asking of her regarding the land now retained by the city.
“We want the 13-acre parcel to be treated as conservation land, the same as other conservation land in town,” Drury said. “Typically, conservation land is under the custody and control of the Conservation Commission.”
To do that, he explained, the mayor would need to request that City Council vote to transfer the land to the Conservation Commission.
“That gives the property protection it doesn’t currently have,” he said.
Drury noted the land abuts the Rocky Mountain Conservation Area, which is already under the control of the Conservation Commission.
“It would extend that land to encompass the 13-acre parcel,” Drury said.
Wedegartner responded that she would need to review the deed to ensure there are no restrictions that would prevent the possibility of this transfer.
“I have no problem with the Conservation Commission … having that as conservation land. I think it’s a wonderful way to protect the land,” she said. “It would be good to have a seamless delineation of that property up there. … I know you’d be good stewards of it.”
Wedegartner said she would have the deed reviewed and return to the commission at its next meeting with a response.
Reporter Mary Byrne can be reached at mbyrne@recorder.com or 413-930-4429. Twitter: @MaryEByrne