CPC Seeks $1M in CPA Funds to Protect 29 Acres Near Hawthorne Country Club

The Community Preservation Committee presented Article 1 asking town meeting to approve $1,000,000 in Community Preservation Act funds to purchase a conservation restriction on roughly 29 acres of the Hawthorne Country Club parcel. The CPC representative said the protected acreage would be owned by the Buzzards Bay Coalition and used for passive recreation; an appraisal to determine the conservation restriction value is underway.

Committee members pressed for details about how the restriction would interact with a proposed development (the Residences at Hawthorne), access points for recreation, and who would hold title. Patrick (Committee member) and others said the conservation option is a preferable alternative to the larger 40B proposal and urged the rationale to make the connection clear for town meeting. Carrie moved to recommend the article and Patrick seconded; the committee recommended Article 1 by a 7–0–0 vote. The CPC representative noted fundraising by Buzzards Bay Coalition will be used to acquire the property in addition to the CPA funds.