Busa Land-Use Ideas Being Sought By Committee

While Busa Farm has long been a place where vegetables have grown and thrived, the farm is now on the cusp of a new and unknown future under the town's nascent ownership of the land.

In 1919, the farm was purchased by four brothers – Anthony, Frank, Gaetanno and Giovanni Busa – who immigrated to the area from the island of Sicily in Italy. 

Ninety years later, in December 2009, the 7.93-acre property at 52 Lowell St. was purchased for $4.2 million by the Town of Lexington using Community Preservation funds. The Busa family is currently leasing the land from the town through the end of the 2011 growing season.

Starting this week, the Busa Land Use Proposal Committee (BLUPC) – an ad hoc committee of seven Lexington residents appointed by the Board of Selectmen in June – will examine ideas for desirable future uses of the property, within the categories of open space, historical preservation, housing and recreation, as defined by the Community Preservation Act.

The first of three public forums planned by BLUPC is set for Wednesday, Sept. 15 at 7 p.m. at Cary Hall. Subsequent forums will be held on Oct. 7 and Nov. 4.

The focus of Wednesday's forum is to provide three to four minutes to each person who wishes to speak to the committee about ideas regarding the use of the land.

Following the forums this fall, BLUPC may choose one or more proposals for the land – or suggest a combination of proposals – to recommend to the Board of Selectmen, said Hank Manz, selectmen chairman.

Likewise, the selectmen can choose a proposal they consider the best, or decide to combine features of more than one proposal, said Manz. Any plan coming forward from selectmen will then be the subject of public hearings, he said.

"That is almost an automatic because it is virtually certain that any plan will cost money," Manz said. "Even if that were not the case, giving the public a chance to weigh in on an issue of that magnitude is the way it has been done in Lexington for a long time and there is no plan to change that in this case." 

 Manz said BLUPC members were chosen who had no strong ties to groups likely to come before the committee with a land-use proposal, or experience with similar committees and projects, but had knowledge of the town and relevant experience.

Members include William Dailey, Richard Fulop, Ginna Johnson, Pamela Shadley, Deborah Strod, Albert Zabin and David Horton.

Horton, who was principal at Estabrook Elementary School until his 1991 retirement, is serving as BLUPC chairman, and said he hopes anyone who has something to say about the Busa land will come to the forum Sept. 15. 

"All of us on the committee are impartial, open and available to hearing ideas," said Horton. 

Bella Tsetkov, a neighbor whose property abuts Busa Farm, said she plans to attend the forum and discuss her concerns with several ideas the town initially presented for the property – including a soccer field and affordable housing.

"The planned soccer field is too close to neighbors' backyards," said Tsetkov. "My other concern is the housing suggestion is not suitable for this place. It will block the view. We don't have that many views like that here."

Tsetkov said she is also concerned a soccer field would cause water runoff and flooding to abutting properties.

"We would prefer to see it as open space, a park or a combination," she said.

Jennifer Portnoy Gladstone, an Arlington resident who has been a farm customer for the past 10 years, said she loves bringing her kids to the farm. She is also a member of the farm's Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program.

Hunter Gehlbach, also of Arlington and a CSA member, said he likes the idea of trying to support the local community and buying locally-grown food.

"These are two big motivations, and we hope (the land) continues to serve those two ends in some way, shape, manner or form," he said.

The subsequent public forums, on Oct. 7 and Nov. 4, will provide people an opportunity give 15-minute presentations, sharing their concept for the land in greater detail.

The public is also welcome to attend regular meetings of the BLUPC, scheduled for Sept. 28, Oct. 21 and Nov. 18, at 7 p.m. in the Town Office Building, room 207.

More information on the Busa Land Use Proposal Committee is available on the town website.

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