Commonwealth Notice of Proposed Acquisition

Post date: Oct 29, 2020 12:56:37 PM

Dear Board of Selectmen:

As required by General Laws Chapter 7C, Section 37, please find attached:

1) A “NOTICE OF PROPOSED ACQUISITION”, commonly known as the “120 Day Notice”, informing you that the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, acting through its Department of Agricultural Resources (“MDAR”), proposes to purchase an Agricultural Preservation Restriction (“APR”) on farmland in your municipality as described in the enclosed Notice. The return receipt attached to this packet will confirm that you have received this notice.

2) A “CONFIRMATION OF NOTICE” on this project. We ask that you (1) post and/or publish this NOTICE, and (2) hold a public announcement at which the NOTICE OF PROPOSED ACQUISITION is read into the record. This can be at a regular Select Board or City Council meeting, or at another public meeting for which standard legal notice was given. Please understand that the municipality need not take any action or vote concerning the acquisition - the announcement is for informational purposes only.

3) A “CERTIFICATE OF NOTICE” that following said adequate notice, the hearing/public announcement mandated by Section 37 has been held within the Municipality not later than 120 days prior to the planned acquisition. Once the meeting has been held, please complete and return the enclosed signed “Certificate of Notice”. The date that you certify for the announcement starts the minimum 120-day (4-month) clock for closing on the APR.

4) A “CONSENT TO REDUCTION OF NOTICE PERIOD” for this project. The law also allows for reduction of the notification period if the local public officials and legislators so agree. Because of MDAR's priority classification of this farmland for protection, we ask that your municipality agree to reduce the 120 day notification period to 60 days to expedite the process. The closing for this project is a time-sensitive matter, and your cooperation in this request is very much appreciated by the Department.

If you have any question regarding this proposed acquisition, please contact Barbara Hopson at 413-726-2003. Thank you for your assistance.

Thank you,

Dorothy Du

Administrative Assistant II, Agricultural Preservation Restriction (APR) Program

Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources

Jason -

I believe this APR is another important piece of the conservation puzzle for the Fairfield Dairy Farm. This is our largest remaining operational dairy farm and these APRs are critical in keeping Fairfield working and an active part of our landscape and agricultural economy. I'm currently working with a student group on farmland conservation planning and their preliminary findings are that with the type of high end development pressure our farmlands are under the only way we're going to sustain an agricultural economy is through further APR and other conservation.

Andrew