Published September 2, 2020
By DAN TOMASELLO
LYNNFIELD — Local officials are currently evaluating a potential upper Main Street land purchase.
Town Counsel Tom Mullen said during a recent Board of Selectmen meeting that the Richardson-Green group, which owns land throughout Essex County and is affiliated with Richardson’s Ice Cream in Middleton, has informed the town it is looking to sell land located at 1325 Main St. for residential use. He noted the land would have been included as part of the Woods of Lynnfield elderly housing development that the 2019 April Town Meeting rejected.
“The significance of one of these notices is that the land has been taxed in the past as forest land,” said Mullen. “It gets taxed at a lower rate. If the owner is going to change the use or sell it for a new use, the town has to be given notice and the town will have the opportunity to purchase the land for the same price as set forth in a purchase-and-sale agreement.”
Planning and Conservation Director Emilie Cademartori said developer Angus Bruce, who was on the Zoom teleconference call, is looking to buy the property. Bruce, who was the developer for the nixed Woods of Lynnfield project, has been working on a preliminary plan for the property as part of a proposed development called Hannah’s View Estates. The proposed development would consist of 15 single-family homes, which would connect to a five-lot subdivision Bruce is developing called Sagamore Place.
Mullen said state law gives the town 120 days to decide whether to consider exercising the right of first refusal in order to buy the land before someone else does.
“We can also assign the right of first refusal to a nonprofit organization, which might be able to purchase the land more easily than the town,” said Mullen. “We could also decide to do nothing.”
In order to purchase the land, Mullen said it would need to be appraised and Town Meeting would have to authorize buying the land.
Mullen noted Gov. Charlie Baker recently signed legislation in the wake of the COVID-19 virus pandemic that suspends deadlines for buying Chapter 61A land until 90 days after the state of emergency expires.
“None of us know when that is going to happen,” said Mullen.
Mullen said the selectmen will need to hold a public hearing on the potential land purchase in the future.
“You will need to hold a public hearing in order to decide what to do,” said Mullen. “When you make that decision, you will have to send notice to the owner.”
Selectman Dick Dalton inquired if the Planning Board and Conservation Commission have made a recommendation to the selectmen about the best way to proceed.
Cademartori said the Planning Board and Conservation Commission held a joint meeting about the potential land purchase recently. She said representatives from the Ipswich River Watershed Association and the Essex County Greenbelt Association also attended the meeting.
“There have been some water supply concerns raised,” said Cademartori. “Mr. Bruce has done some hydrogeology as he investigates developing the property. Those conversations have just begun.”
Cademartori encouraged the selectmen to solicit feedback from the public about the potential land purchase.
“The Planning Board and Conservation Commission will continue to do so as well,” said Cademartori.
In response to a question from Selectman Phil Crawford, Mullen anticipates the town will need to decide whether to buy the upper Main Street land by November.
“Within that period, we could send a notice of exercise, which means 90 days after that we would have to pony up the money and purchase the land,” said Mullen. “Or during that 120-day period, we could find somebody to assign our right of first refusal and they would have to give that same notice of exercise in that 120-day period. There is a lot that has to be done.”
After the discussion, Dalton made a motion seeking to take the Richardson Green land purchase proposal under advisement.
Crawford supported Dalton’s motion.
“We need more input not only from the boards, but from other groups,” said Crawford. “We have to do more due diligence.”
The selectmen unanimously approved the motion.