Lanesborough Has Buyer For Legally Disputed Land
 The Board of Selectmen gave Narain Schroeder, of the Berkshire Natural Resources Council, a letter of support of reaching a deal to sell the organization the not-yet acquired Mach property. |
LANESBOROUGH, Mass. — The town has a potential buyer for land it may legally have to acquire.
The town recently lost a lawsuit to Virginia Mach over the construction of Bill Laston Memorial Park. The construction cut off access to property Mach owned and the town has opted to pay for lost revenues and acquire the land rather than rebuild the access.
Berkshire Natural Resources Council wants the land and Narain Schroeder received a letter of support from the Selectmen on Monday for the future acquisition.
BCRC already owns acreage abutting the property from the other side. That land — Constitution Hill — features hiking and snow show trails.
The organization wants to add onto the land to connect the trails with the public park.
"Help us with that task of connecting the walking trail at Laston Park with the trails on Constitution Hill," he asked the board.
The organization would need to build a bridge to get over the town brook so the project isn't immediate. But in the end, Schroeder said the council's property and access from Laston Park would all be open to the public.
Town Administrator Paul Sieloff said the sale helps with the cost of the lawsuit, provides more access to recreation for the residents and continues a relation with the conservation group.
"I'm looking at this as a win-win. We have a good, healthy relationship with BNRC," Sieloff said. "It looks like there are a bunch of good, positives of this."
The Board of Selectmen agreed and voted in favor of supporting the effort, though only after a few questions about what happens if the organization decided to sell to someone else. Nonetheless, the town could always work out first rights of refusal into any sale it makes.
Tags: BNRC, conservation & recreation, conservation organization,
