Royalston Open Space Committee
Minutes
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Meeting Date: June 9, 2005
Members Present: Aaron Ellison, Elizabeth Farnsworth, Beth Gospodarek,
Patty Carrier,
Kim MacPhee, Glenn Freden,
Tom Musco, Christine Beckert Long
Others Present: Pat Jackson, Vyto Andreulinas
Chair: Aaron Ellison
Clerk: Christine Beckert Long
The meeting convened at 7:30 p.m. at town hall.
Minutes: The committee unanimously approved the minutes of May 12, 2005, as corrected.
Internal Matters:
(1) Beth reported that she has purchased a cabinet for committee maps, but
has not yet reached agreement with the Select Board about where that cabinet
will go.
(2) Aaron also reported that the Select Board is interested in pursuing the
Community Preservation Act. Chris will find out how to get customized information
about Royalston as the committee prepares to make a presentation to the Select
Board in the fall and to the 2006 annual town meeting. The committee discussed
using data from the town's build-out analysis, published information about
the cost of development to municipalities, and the surveys done in conjunction
with the Open Space Plan as part of the presentation.
Town Issues:
(1) Beth reported that the Board of Assessors has more time now, if the committee
wishes to meet with them to discuss the tax status of lands with a conservation
restriction.
Public
Outreach:
(1) Patty distributed a summary of information she obtained at a Conservation
Options & Estate Planning Workshop (attached). She recommends "Land Conservation
Options" as a simple pamphlet for relatively wide distribution and "Conservation
Options for Private Landowners," published by the Land Trust Alliance,
as a more detailed source for selected landowners. The committee will discuss
these possibilities further.
(2) The committee also discussed the possibility of including either the brochure
or an even shorter version in tax bills.
The meeting adjourned at 9 p.m.