GA Blog: Boxford

5.19.10 Boxford Votes Against Affordable Housing

The Tri-Town Transcript reports that at a recent Town Meeting, Boxford voted against the community/affordable housing use of Haynes land.  See NSAR blog article:  http://www.northshorerealtors.com/government_affairs/blog/252-affordable_housing_recreation_land_in_boxford

Boxford voters approved the conservation and recreation use for the Haynes land, but rejected the affordable housing component.

Also at the meeting, Boxford approved an $86,000 expenditure for the Border to Boston rail trail project for completion of the final design.  The rail trail includes roughly 2.3 miles of off-road trails along National Grid property/old railroad beds and 2 miles of onroad trail over Bare Hill Road, Olde Bare Hill Road and Pye Brook Lane.

Read the entire Tri-Town Transcript article.

4.9.10 Affordable Housing & Recreation Land in Boxford

According to the Tri-Town Transcript, the next Boxford Town Meeting in May will look at three proposed land division articles put forth from the Haynes Land Advisory Committee.  The proposal, which also already gone through an informal process with the Conservation Commission, is asking Boxford voters to officially split the 75-acres of land into a passive recreation parcel, an active recreation parcel, and an affordable housing parcel. Boxford town officials first proposed the separate articles after a joint article narrowly failed approval during the last fall Town Meeting.

If approved, the warrant article asking to designate nearly 26 acres of the Haynes land as a recreation parcel would place the piece of land in the custody of the Boxford Athletic Association. The article asking for the splitting of conservation land would put the parcel in the custody of the Boxford Trails Association/Boxford Open Land Trust. The 13-acre housing parcel would stay under the control of the Selectmen.

Read the entire Tri-Town Transcript article.

2.2.10 Windrush Farm in Boxford & North Andover

The Tri-Town Transcript reported recently that Windrush Farm, a 195-acre mix of fields, forest, and a rare Atlantic White Cedar Bog located in North Andover and Boxford, will be protected land “forever.”

A partnership consisting of the Trust for Public Land (TPL) – a national non-profit conservation organization, the Windrush Farm Therapeutic Equitation, Inc. (WFTE), the Towns of North Andover and Boxford, and Essex County Greenbelt Association (Greenbelt) purchased the land for $3.5 million with a combination of Town and State funding, private foundations, and 468 individual donors.

The Windrush Farm Therapeutic Equitation was founded in 1964 and provides equine-assisted therapies to more than 300 children and adults with disabilities, including veterans of war.  The Tri-Town Transcipt reports that WFTE is the pioneer of more than 780 programs of its kind supported by the North American Riding for the Handicapped Association; WFTE plans to expand the number and variety of programs to include the general public, such as community gardens and summer camps.

Windrush Farm contains State-recognized critical wildlife habitat supporting rare and endangered species. Its protection creates a nearly 1800-acre contiguous block of conservation land and connects to an extensive trail network including the Bay Circuit Trail and trails in Boxford State Forest. Conserving Windrush Farm also protects the Ipswich River watershed-providing drinking water to more than 330,000 residents in 15 Massachusetts communities.

Read the entire Tri-Town Transcript.

10.23.09 Chapter 40B Development in Boxford

The Tri-Town Transcript reported that the Boxford Housing Partnership has chosen a developer to build a 40B affordable housing development in Boxford.  The Oxbow Partners 40B housing project will be built on a 13-acre section of the Haynes land and consists of 20 townhouse units – 14 of which will be reserved for the Boxford community and all will be considered affordable.

Oxbow Partners will be applying for state grants for first-time buyers to subsidize the cost of construction and will offer a portion of the two or three bedroom units for $174,000 and $195,000 to families that make less than $64,000. They will offer the rest the units for $220,000 to $250,000 to families that make less than $85,000.

Read the entire Tri-Town Transcript article here.

5.5.08 Rail Trail Continuing to be Debated

The Tri-Town Transcript is reporting that the proposed rail trail, a 26-mile trail to run from Salisbury to Danvers, is continuing to be debated by committies and town selecteman.

5.5.08 Topsfield Planning Board Member Departing

Attention is now starting to be noticed locally since the presidential primaries are behind us. According to the Tri-Town Transcript, candidates in Topsfield/Boxford/Middleton are starting to get noticed despite that selectmen, school committee's and planning boards are all running unopposed in Middleton,Boxford and Topsfield. Topsfield planning board is seeing one term end for a dedicated member due to by-laws restricting a fourth term.

Read the entire Tri-Town Transcript article.