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Churchill Meadows Project |
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We want to thank all Grafton residents who voted "yes" for Article 30 at Town Meeting on May 11th. We have successfully preserved the 5.45 acre Churchill Meadows property. The Town of Grafton will own the property and the Grafton Land Trust will hold the conservation restriction, which specifies the property will be preserved in its natural state in perpetuity.
Our call to action was answered!
The negotiated purchase price for this conservation parcel was $70,000. The proposal payment is for $10,000 of private funding already approved from Grafton Land Trust’s Green Grafton Fund, and the balance of $60,000 proposed to be allocated from existing Community Preservation Act funds already reserved for open space. No new taxes would be collected. For more photos, click here.
Why?
The meadow is contiguous with the town’s Frost/Blythewood property, which in turn abuts the town’s Great Meadow property. Together, these parcels will more fully conserve what has been historically called out on Grafton’s maps as the Great Meadow, bounded on the northwest by Meadowbrook Rd, east by George Hill Rd, north by Merriam Rd, and the southwest by Route 140. This property, parcel 24 on the town GIS map, is also well known for its critical role in Grafton’s natural environment. The Massachusetts Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Programs designated this property as a Core Habitat area for aquatic, plant, and wildlife as well as an Area of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC). Grafton's 2007 Open Space and Recreation Plan also designated this property as priority area for conservation. Grafton’s water supply is under ever-increasing pressure. By adding this conservation lot to the existing network of town open space in the Frost/Blithewood and Great Meadow (parcels 10E and 21, respectively), the conserved portion of Miscoe Brook Watershed was enhanced. Additional benefits beyond clean drinking water include conserving more of the eastern wildlife corridor and a popular recreational trail network. The opportunities to hike, bird watch, horseback ride, and enjoy this remarkable section of town are an important piece in the quality of life we take pride in as a community. Our proposal thoughtfully balanced the need for open space with the reality of development. We achieved our goal of keeping this important parcel perserved for historical, environmental, and quality of life reasons. Thank you for supporting conservation!
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Your Grafton Land Trust is excited to have brokered this important conservation deal in Grafton! The property is located on 114 Merriam Road and includes a pristine and beautiful conservation lot of 5.45 acres. 
