TownofHamilton,Massachusetts

LandAcquisitionPolicy
AdoptedNovember2,2015

PolicyDescription:

PolicyObjectives:

PriorityList:

Interests:

Thispolicyestablishesasetofproceduresandcriteriaforacquiringinterestsinlandforopen
spacepreservation,watersupplyprotection,recreation,housingorothermunicipalpurposes.
Thispolicyshallalsoapplyforacceptinggiftsofland.Thispolicydoesnotapplytointerestsin
propertyacquiredbytheHamiltonConservationCommissionunderitsstatutoryauthority.
Thereasonsforhavinganestablishedprocedureandsetofcriteriaareto:
1. provideaclearanduniformmethodforacquiringinterestsinrealpropertyforopenspace
preservation,watersupplyprotection,recreation,housingormunicipalpurposes.
2. ensurethatdecisionsregardingtheacquisitionofrealpropertyinterestsarewellconsidered
andaddresstheconcernsandneedsofallrelevantTowndepartmentsandboards,aswellas
thegeneralcitizenry.
3. assisttheTowntotimelyandefficientlyrespondtoopportunitiestoacquireinterestsinreal
propertywhenpresented.
ThetownshallmaintainalistofcandidateparcelsonaListofPropertiesofPriorityIntereston
filewiththeTownClerk.Ifotherparcelsbecomeavailablethatarenotontheexistinglistthen
theymaystillbeconsidered,however,theopportunityshouldbeconsideredincontextofhow
wellthatlandmeetstheTownsobjectivesrelativetopropertiesalreadyontheexistingpriority
listforthosesameobjectives.Thelistwillbedelineatedintoseparatesubcategoriesforeachof
thefourpurposesoutlinedabove.Thelistshallbeupdatedeverytwoyears.BoardofSelectmen
shallhearinputinpublicmeetingsbeforevotingtoaccepttheinitialandallsubsequentpriority
lists,andshalladdorsubtractparcelsfromthelist.
TheinitialListofPropertiesofPriorityInterestshall:
1. includeallChapter61,61Aand61Bandotherpropertiesthatarepotentiallysubjectto
townsRightofFirstRefusal,and
2. anypropertiesthathavebeenspecificallyidentifiedforacquisitionintheTownsMaster
Plan,OpenSpaceandRecreationPlan,orRecreationMasterPlan,and
3. includeotherpropertiesidentifiedbyeitherthePlanningBoard,ConservationCommission,
CommunityPreservationCommittee,HWJointRecreationCommittee,Hamilton
DevelopmentCorporation,orBoardofSelectmenthathavebeenvotedbytheBoardof
Selectmenontooneofthesubcategoriesofthislist.
Interests"includesconservationrestrictions,agriculturalpreservationagreements,
developmentrights,easements,orthepurchaseoftitleorfeeinterestintheland.

Procedures:1. TheprocedureforconsideringtheacquisitionofaninterestinlandidentifiedonaListof
PropertiesofPriorityInterestmaybeinitiatedinanyofthefollowingways:
a)PropertyowneroragentoffersinterestinlandtotheTownthroughtheTownManageror
theBoardofSelectmen.
b)Anoticeofintenttochangetheuseof,develop,orsellfordevelopmentpropertysubject
toChapter61,61A,or61BistransmittedtotheTowninaccordancewiththe
requirementsofthoseChaptersoftheM.G.L.
c)TheBoardofSelectmenvotetoinstructtheTownManagertoinitiatediscussionswitha
propertyownerrelativetothepossibleacquisitionofalandinterest.Totheextent
permittedbyStateLaw,theBoardmayconductsomeofthisdiscussioninexecutive

sessiontoprotecttheprivacyofthepropertyownerorforotherreasonscitedinthe
relevantstatutes.
d)TheTownManager,afterguidancediscussionswiththeBoardofSelectmen,initiates
discussionswithapropertyownerrelativetothepossibleacquisitionofalandinterest.
TheTownManagershallkeeptheBoardofSelectmenupdatedastowhatpropertiesare
beingactivelypursuedinthiscategory.
e)ThePlanningBoard,ConservationCommission,CommunityPreservationCommittee,HW
JointRecreationCommittee,ortheHamiltonDevelopmentCorporationvotetorequest
theBoardofSelectmentoconsideracquisitionofalandinterest.
2. Forpropertiesidentifiedunder1a)or1b)or1e)theBoardofSelectmenshall,within
fourteen(14)daysofreceivinganofferornoticeofintent,refertheofferornoticetoTown
Managerforreviewandrecommendationwithreferencetothecriteriasetoutinparagraph
4.
3. TheTownManagershalltransmititscommentsandrecommendationstotheBoardof
Selectmenwithinthirty(30)daysoftheSelectmensrequest,orwithinashorterperiodof
timeifspecificallyrequestedbytheSelectmen.IntheeventofaChapter61,61Aor61B
propertytheTownManagerandBoardofSelectmenmayactonafasterscheduleandmay
workwithnonprofitsasenvisionedbyM.G.L..
4. IndecidingwhetherornottorecommendtotheTownMeetingtoacquireaninterestina
specificparcelofland,theBoardofSelectmenshallconsidertherecommendationofthe
TownManager,aswellasthefollowing:
a) EnvironmentalDueDiligenceforHazardousMaterials.Hasanenvironmentalsite
assessmentbeenconductedfortheproperty?Ifnot,doestheBoardofSelectmen
believethatsuchastudyiswarranted?Ifsiteassessmentsidentifyexistingorpotential
environmentalproblems,theBoardofSelectmenmustmakeadeterminationwhether
ornotthebenefitsofobtainingthepropertyoutweightherisks.
b) TitleInvestigation.HasthepropertyownerprovidedtheTownwithtitledocumentsto
ensurethattheyarethelegalowner(s),andhaveanyliens,mortgages,orother
encumbrancesbeenuncoveredthatmayaffectthetransaction?Isitnecessaryforthe
towntoobtaintitleinsurance?
c) PropertyEvaluation.Areviewofwhateverreportsareavailableonthespecificproperty
aspreparedbytheTownManager,DirectorofPlanning&Inspection,theLand
AcquisitionCommitteeandotherTownboardsandcommittees.
d) TopographicalSurvey.Dependingontheproposeduse,theTownManagerandthe
BoardofSelectmenshouldstronglyconsiderrequiringatopographicalsurveysothat
theaccessandsuitabilityofthesitefortheproposedusecanbethoroughlyevaluated.
e) LowestCostOption.Doestherecommendedmannerofprotection/acquisitionachieve
theobjectivesofthepolicyinthemostcosteffectivemannerpossible?Iftheobjective
isopenspacepreservation,canthetownpartnerwithotherorganizationsorassignits
rightstoconservationorotherorganizationstoachievethepurpose?
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f) ConsequencesofNoAction.HastheBoardofSelectmenconsideredtheconsequences
oftheTowntakingnoactionregardingthisparticularproperty?
5. Priortodiscussionswithpropertyownersaboutacquiringaninterestinlandidentifiedona
ListofPropertiesofPriorityInterest,theBoardofSelectmenmayholdapublichearing.
TheBoardofSelectmenshallconsulttheTownManagerregardingwhetherapublichearing
willadverselyaffectnegotiationswithapropertyowner.Noticeforthehearingshallbe
pursuanttoBoardofSelectmenregulations,M.G.L.Chapter30Bandanyotherapplicable
requirementsandshallalsoincludeawrittennoticeofmeetingtotherequestor,abutting
propertyownersandanyotherindividuals/organizationswithinterestinsaidproperty,as
determinedbytheBoardofSelectmen.
6. Ifaninterestinlandifproposedforapropertynotonthelist,thenthepropertymustfirst
bevotedbytheBoardofSelectmentobeplacedinoneofthesubcategoriesontheListof
PropertiesofPriorityInterest.CitizensmayalsowritetheTownManagerorBoardof
Selectmenwithrecommendationsforinclusiononthelist.TheTownManagerwillevaluate
thecitizenrecommendationwiththeDirectorofPlanning&Inspectionsandmayreferthe
propertytotheBoardofSelectmenforfurtherconsideration.

Criteria:

Whenpropertiesareplacedonthelist,thelistingshouldincludesufficientdetailastowhat
thepurpose/objectivethatpropertyisexpectedtomeet.

InmakingrecommendationstotheBoardofSelectmenregardingtheacquisitionofland
interests,theTownManagershall:
1.

2.

Consider(i)thescoringsystemdevelopedbytheLandAcquisitionCommittee,(ii)thelevelof
imminentthreattotheproperty,(iii)outsidefundingopportunities,and(iv)whetherthe
TownspurposecanbeachievedbyotherorganizationsratherthantheTown,and(v)other
criteriarelevanttothespecificproperty(e.g.,statusofabuttingparcels).

Solicitcommentsfromvariousgroupsandorganizations,whichshallincludetownboards&
committees(e.g.PlanningBoard,ConservationCommission,HistoricDistrictCommission,
CommunityPreservationCommittee,ZBA,LandAcquisitionCommittee),towndepartments
(e.g.,Planning&Inspections,Finance,Utilities,DPW,Recreation),andoutsideorganizations
(e.g.HWOLT,EssexCountyGreenbeltAssociation,TheTrusteesofReservations,Mass
Audubon).

3.

Propertyscoringswithinacategoryshouldbeconsideredforguidancepurposesonly.

Objectives:

TheTownofHamiltonalreadyhasmanyestablisheddocumentswhichhavetheirownpublic
processestoestablishpolicyobjectiveswhichmayincludetheacquisitionofproperties.Among
thesedocuments,whichmayberevisedfromtimetotime,arethetownsMasterPlan,
RecreationMasterPlan,OpenSpaceandRecreationplan,andHousingProductionplan.The
BoardofSelectmenshouldconsidertheobjectivesoutlinedintheseandothersimilarplans,such
asHWRegionalSchoolDistrictplans,whenconsideringacquisitions.

InitialLandAcquisition
Committee:
TheDirectorofPlanning&Inspections,alongwithanadhocInitialLandAcquisitionCommittee
appointedbytheBoardofSelectmen,withinthreemonthsshall,developascorecardevaluation
systemforguidancepurposeswhichmaybeappliedtoallofpropertiesoreasementsthatshould
beconsideredforacquisition.

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ExampleofInitialListofPropertiesofPriorityInterest

OpenSpacePreservation
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

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InitialListofPropertiesofPriorityInterest
WaterSupplyProtection
Recreation
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

Generalmunicipalpurposes
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.