Town will acquire Pleasant Street property — but only half

The Select Board is opting against the $650,000 purchase of 12.4 acres of land on Pleasant Street but hopes to preserve about half of the portion that abuts conservation land and recreational trails.

The parcel at 59 Pleasant Street, now owned by Joseph, Walter, and Gary Wasiuk, falls under Chapter 61A, which offers preferential tax treatment for agricultural land. In return, the town is offered the right of first refusal if the land is offered for sale.

While Pleasant Street residents argued in a recent public hearing that building on the property would increase traffic, several Select Board members argued that the town needs more housing.

“When people move in, they seem to want to shut the door behind them,” Select Board member Ed Prisby said.

The Wasiluk family has a $650,000 offer for the land by a residential home developer, which the town would have to match if it is acquired.

The unnamed buyers last month made an offer: if the town refuses the purchase, 6.5 acres (outlined in red on the map above) abutting the conservation land would be donated for conservation purposes, leaving the hay field directly off Pleasant Street (outlined in blue) open for development.

Temporary Town Administrator Carter Terenzini was instructed to begin negotiations with the buyer on the land offer.