Weston Conservation Commission signals preference for Case Estates Parcel 9 in water tank land swap

WESTON — July 30, 2024 — Weston Conservation Commission signals informal support for Case Estates Parcel 9 as replacement land in water tank project. The commission, meeting July 30 without Chair Rees Tulloss and with temporary chair Robert Mosher presiding, reviewed more than a dozen town-owned parcels as candidates for an Article 97 land swap required before three existing water storage tanks at Paines Hill, Cat Rock, and Doublet Hill can be replaced. Consultant Amy Coppers of Bright Pierce presented an updated screening that found most recreational fields — including Lamson Park, Soldiers Field Town Park, Cherry Brook Road fields, Brookfield, and Bogel Ball Field — unsuitable due to lack of conservation connectivity or existing limited protections. Case Estates Parcel 9, a 10.59-acre parcel identified as a conservation priority in the town's 2017 open space plan and adjacent to existing Article 97 land, drew the strongest support, with discussion centering on a potential subdivision preserving roughly five acres in perpetuity. The commission's unanimous vote is a legal prerequisite for the project's December 2024 town meeting submission and subsequent Massachusetts Legislature review, giving commissioners significant leverage over parcel selection.