UPDATED, Aug. 6: The Wright-Locke Land Trust has completed the purchase of 12.5 acres surrounding Wright-Locke Farm from the Town of Winchester, on Arlington’s border, for $8.6 million.
The trust reported the purchase of the land near St. Eulalia occurred Monday, Aug. 3. “This brings to successful conclusion over two years of efforts to preserve this important remaining open space for the the town,” a trust newsletter reported Thursday, Aug. 6.
“Thanks to all our volunteers and especially our very generous donors, almost universally Winchester residents, who made this possible. When we started this process, no one could have predicted the unprecedented outpouring of support we received to make this dream a reality. A heartfelt thanks to all.”
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In late May, Winchester Town Meeting has voted, 150-21, to approve the Wright-Locke Land Trust bid of $8.6 million for the 12.5 acres.
This vote is the culmination of an 18-month effort by the many supporters of the farm to preserve the open space around it. This will allow for the expansion of farm programs and ensure public access to this site.
Representatives of the Land Trust and the Conservancy say they must now close on the land purchase, which they expect by the end of July.
Farm supporters the will undertake a master-planning process for the property at 82 Ridge St. The abandoned yellow house just north of the farmstead will be evaluated for its potential as a year-round facility for the expansion of programs, a kitchen and small event space.
“From an agricultural standpoint,” a Wright-Locke newsletter says, “we are investigating the restoration of the historic orchards that were once on the knoll and the hillside north of the farm pond. And, of course, we will now start to improve the pasture areas for our grazing sheep and mobile chickens.”
These plans, especially the renovation or reconstruction of 82 Ridge St., will require substantial investment. They groups will again be reaching out to existing donors while trying to reach new donors “who share a vision for a vibrant community resource that promotes the values of small-scale, sustainable agriculture and farm-based education and experiences for young and old,” the newsletter says.
Some history of the process
On May 11, selectmen voted, 4-1, to recommend that Wright-Locke Land Trust proposal move forward to Town Meeting. Their plan offers no development of the 12.5 acres near the farm, just iover the Arlington border.
“We’re very happy. The Land Trust was the right way to go,” said Bob Johnson in a report by the Daily Times Chronicle in Woburn. He spoke on behalf of the abutters.
The Wright-Locke request for proposals is far different from the others, including Abbott Development. This one supports less-dense plans. The price for the land would be $8.6 million, if Town Meeting backs the proposal in a two-thirds’ vote.
If Town Meeting rejects the board’s recommendation, a motion could be made on the floor to support another bid, from Helios or Five Points.
If Town Meeting doesn’t support the Land Trust bid and doesn’t make a motion to support another bid, the town would have to start at square one.
The Land Trust reported in a May 13 newsletter that the selectmen’s vote is the culmination of an 18-month public process. The Wright-Locke Farm Conservancy Inc. endorses the Land Trust bid, as do these stakeholders: neighbors, Planning Board, Conservation Commission, Historic Commission, Design Review Committee and the town’s development consultant.
The Land Trust bid of $8.6 million was made possible from gifts and pledges of $6.9 million, a $1 million loan, $300,000 from the Conservation Commission and a development payment of $400,000.
If the Land Trust bid is approved, by the end of July the selectmen will have recovered $10.2 million of the $14.1 million purchase price, permanently protecting nearly all of this 20-acre community resource for public use, the newsletter says.
Reported April 17:
Three of four consultant reports about the fate of the Wright-Locke Farm have been received by Winchester officials.
The financial consultant planed to issue her report to selectmen April 21.
Dodson Flinker, the town’s development consultant, has recommended that the selectmen adopt the land trust bid because of “the proposals adherence to the town’s criteria and its lack of impacts on the site’s historic, visual, environmental and public access features.”
Selectmen plan to discuss the bids and the process going forward.
The land trust is holding precinct meetings in each of the town’s eight precincts and is inviting Town Meeting members and interested residents to attend. The aim is to inform Town Meeting members about the town’s choices. If you are interested in attending one of these meetings, contact Archie McIntyre at amcintyre[at]wlfarm.org for more information, including date, time and location.
The following was reported March 5:
The Wright-Locke Land Trust plans to make its bid presentation to Winchester selectmen on Monday, March 9, at 7 p.m. in the Selectmen’s Room, second floor of Town Hall, one of four bidders.
Tom Howley and Archie McIntyre are to present the trust’s $7.3 million offer to preserve all of the 12.5 acres surrounding Wright-Locke Farm.
The selectmen have invited all four bidders to present over two days. The trust is scheduled to present first and Helios Development at 8 p.m. KMC and Five Points Development are to present Wednesday, March 11, at 7 p.m. and 8 p.m., respectively.
Supporters of the trust say its bid offers a “unique opportunity to save this last remaining open space for the future benefit of the town while providing a substantial economic return at the same time. The other bids all propose dense residential development that would destroy the feel and the context of the Farm, impact the neighborhood and strain school and municipal services.”
The selectmen, after meeting again, Feb. 5, to discuss the next steps in the sale of the land around Wright-Locke Farm, asked the two noncompliant bidders to explain their deficiencies and has asked all bidders to waive their right to protest, allowing the noncompliant bidders to provide clarification on their bids after the sealed bid deadline.
These waivers have now been received and the various town boards are reviewing all four of the proposals involved in the sale of the 12.5 acres of land.
The four bids in response to the RFP range from $4.6 million to $11 million. Senior staff has reviewed the bids and advised the board that the Wright-Locke Land Trust and one other bidder complied with the submission requirements and that two of the bidders were noncompliant.
A land trust summary says the board has subsequently asked the two noncompliant bidders to explain their deficiencies and has asked all bidders to waive their right to protest, allowing the noncompliant bidders to provide clarification on their bids after the sealed bid deadline. These waivers have now been received.
These bids provide the town an array of options including total preservation to very dense residential development. These options also provide a full range of financial outcomes for the town.
With these waivers now in hand, the selectmen must determine the next steps.
“There has been discussion that some of the selectmen want to reject all bids, because they were disappointed that the bids weren’t ‘high’ enough,” the land trust newsletter says. “This would be a very detrimental outcome to the farm and we feel the town as a whole.”
The Winchester selectmen last discussed the issue publicly Tuesday, Jan. 20.
At some point, a land plan will be presented to the Town Meeting, which must approve the sale of the land by a two-third’s vote.
The funding for the purchase comes from three sources:
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- * Outright donations,
- * Significant pledges from Winchester residents that would be due within 30 days of Town Meeting approval and
- * a $1 million unsecured, no-interest loan from John Moriarty and Associates (JMA), a well-known Winchester company.
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The loan has a three-year term and will be repaid through continuing fund-raising.
In the event that fund-raising does not retire the entire loan amount, the trust, as a backup plan, will sell two lots in the southwest corner of the site for single-family homes. These lots would be located immediately next to the “stub road” off of Pepperhill Drive.
In addition to the terms above, the trust said it would enter into a long-term lease with the Conservancy for Lot E Extended plus an additional parcel in the northeast corner of the property totaling 1.34 acres for $1 per year. This parcel includes 82 Ridge St., which the Conservancy hopes to renovate for program expansion, plus much-needed on-site parking for its many events and activities.
The land highlighted in yellow is to be sold by the Town of Winchester. The land in white is leased to the Conservancy
Contact Archie McIntyre with any questions.
So who is the Wright-Locke Land Trust?
The trust is a private, not-for-profit operating foundation recently formed to specifically respond to the town RFP for the sale of the 12.5 acres around the farm. The trust shares the same preservation goals and priorities as the Conservancy but it is a legally separate organization with it’s own board of directors separate from the Conservancy.
This story was published Friday, Jan. 9, 2015, and updated Aug. 6, to report the deal’s completion.
