Protect the wooded portion of 300 Hammond Pond Parkway in Newton MA

The Issue

Congregation Mishkan Tefila owns 22 acres of land (shown in yellow in the photo below) that is surrounded by publicly owned conservation land. The city-owned Webster Conservation Area is to the north and west, and the state-owned Hammond Pond Reservationis to the south and east.

 The parcel, 300 Hammond Pond Parkway, is parcel # 65008 0003 in the Newton Assessors' Database.

In August 2015, local news media reported that the congregation is close to reaching an agreement to sell its property to Boston College. The college's plans for the land are unknown, but a sale would increase the likelihood of development of some or all of the land. The Board of Directors of the Newton Conservators has written a letter to Mayor Setti Warren and the Newton Board of Alderman urging them to take action to protect this land.

The land owned by the temple is mostly undeveloped woodlands. It was part of the state reservation until 1954, when the Metropolitan District Commission (MDC) sold it to the temple for $400 an acre, the equivalent of $3,500 an acre in today's dollars. The price to be paid by Boston College has not been made public, but the property is currently assessed by the city at $870,000 per acre.

The sale was controversial at the time. The Boston Globe reported that the Newton Board of Aldermen voted 15 to 3 to oppose the sale, and the MDC board approved the sale by a margin of only 3 votes to 2. Following the vote to authorize the sale, Newton created a new Board of Park Commissioners in an attempt to block the sale. The city then went to court, but lost its lawsuit.

The property includes Bare Pond, a vernal pool that has been the site of Newton Conservators walks. The image below superimposes an aerial photo of the temple's buildings and parking lots onto a map of the woods. Note that the main east-west trails are on land owned by the temple, which is in white on this map.

 

While Bare Pond (and a small buffer zone around it) is protected from development by state wetlands regulations, most of the land could be developed by Boston College for use as dorms, classroom or office buildings, or parking lots. Such development would be a devastating blow to a beloved conservation area.

Please express your desire to preserve the wooded portion of 300 Hammond Pond Parkway.

 

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Joshua FreedPetition Starter
Media inquiries
This petition had 31 supporters

The Issue

Congregation Mishkan Tefila owns 22 acres of land (shown in yellow in the photo below) that is surrounded by publicly owned conservation land. The city-owned Webster Conservation Area is to the north and west, and the state-owned Hammond Pond Reservationis to the south and east.

 The parcel, 300 Hammond Pond Parkway, is parcel # 65008 0003 in the Newton Assessors' Database.

In August 2015, local news media reported that the congregation is close to reaching an agreement to sell its property to Boston College. The college's plans for the land are unknown, but a sale would increase the likelihood of development of some or all of the land. The Board of Directors of the Newton Conservators has written a letter to Mayor Setti Warren and the Newton Board of Alderman urging them to take action to protect this land.

The land owned by the temple is mostly undeveloped woodlands. It was part of the state reservation until 1954, when the Metropolitan District Commission (MDC) sold it to the temple for $400 an acre, the equivalent of $3,500 an acre in today's dollars. The price to be paid by Boston College has not been made public, but the property is currently assessed by the city at $870,000 per acre.

The sale was controversial at the time. The Boston Globe reported that the Newton Board of Aldermen voted 15 to 3 to oppose the sale, and the MDC board approved the sale by a margin of only 3 votes to 2. Following the vote to authorize the sale, Newton created a new Board of Park Commissioners in an attempt to block the sale. The city then went to court, but lost its lawsuit.

The property includes Bare Pond, a vernal pool that has been the site of Newton Conservators walks. The image below superimposes an aerial photo of the temple's buildings and parking lots onto a map of the woods. Note that the main east-west trails are on land owned by the temple, which is in white on this map.

 

While Bare Pond (and a small buffer zone around it) is protected from development by state wetlands regulations, most of the land could be developed by Boston College for use as dorms, classroom or office buildings, or parking lots. Such development would be a devastating blow to a beloved conservation area.

Please express your desire to preserve the wooded portion of 300 Hammond Pond Parkway.

 

avatar of the starter
Joshua FreedPetition Starter
Media inquiries

The Decision Makers

Mayor Setti Warren
Mayor Setti Warren
Mayor, Newton Ma
Responded
“Dear Resident, We have received this petition regarding the status of property which is owned by Mishkan Tefila and which is adjacent to the City of Newton’s Webster Conservation Area in the vicinity of the Hammond Pond Parkway, Langley Road, and Warren Street. It has been stated publicly that Mishkan Tefila may sell its property. If this sale occurs, the City of Newton and Commonwealth-owned conservation areas will remain. As you may be aware, the City has some regulatory authority over any potential development by a future property owner. For example, the City of Newton’s Conservation Commission has jurisdiction over projects that would alter wetlands on the property. We are looking at the different means available within the capacity of the City to work with any future landowner to preserve the ecological and recreational values of the Webster Conservation Area so Newton families will be able to take advantage of these resources for years to come. Sincerely, Setti D. Warren Mayor City of Newton, MA ”

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Petition created on September 20, 2015