NO ReZone - Save the Farm

Dear Wilmington Residents,

You don’t always see eye to eye with your elected officials and that is certainly the case with me and Selectman McCoy. But when someone is right, they are right. I fully support and commend Selectman McCoy for advocating for the Town to find a way to acquire Sciarappa’s Farm. I served on the Open Space and Recreation Committee many years ago and this farm was top on the list. This is the last large piece of land in town. This isn’t about anything other than securing land for Wilmington residents and future generations to meet the town’s needs. It is not a so called “NIMBY” issue, a derogatory term if you ask me. I do not live in that area but I know if we let this land slip away we will be sorry. Those salivating over this property won’t be happy. We all get the business aspect of development and so be it but this is about a much bigger issue what is important to the ton as a whole and not just the individuals. Trust me, generations to come will be very thankful that we had the foresight to provide for the future.

This parcel has so much potential to be a win win for the town. It butts up to other large parcels of open space and trail systems in Andover which would give Wilmington residents walking access to Fosters Pond and beyond. It would give the town more options for recreation passive and and active. It would give the town space for other town needs like a cemetery, community gardens, etc etc whatever the town see fit. But first the town needs to vote down the rezoning which will likely out cost it to us and make acquiring it more difficult.

The Sciarappa property has enjoyed decades of tax benefits under the agricultural use tax structure through Chapter 61A with an understanding that the Town has right of first refusal. I do not know all the particulars regarding proper notification to the town with their intent to sell . What I do know is as soon as there was a lag in the application, action should have been taken by management to inform the public, the tax payer, that helped support that land and made an investment in it for decades. But all is not lost and there are options. I have been paying taxes in town since 1989. I as other citizens deserve the right to determine the future of this property. I hope the proponents to rezone this land at this year’s Town Meeting don’t take that opportunity away from their fellow citizens. Allow the town to make that decision. If it doesn’t work out then have at it. But don't take this important and once in a life time opportunity away from the residents who have for decades “carried” the tax burden for this land with the contractual understanding that it had the right of first refusal. Give the residents of this town what they deserve, it is the right thing to do.