What will the Town do with Shadow Pines?
The plan is to keep it all as natural open space for at least the short to medium term. Supervisor La Fountain said at the Town meeting on February 13, that if the referendum succeeds Shadow Pines will be open to the public as soon the Town cleans out any unsafe dangling branches, etc.
Maintenance costs for keeping Shadow Pines as natural open space would be very inexpensive -- less than $30k/yr, according to Tony. This is a small fraction of what our parks cost to maintain.
There are some interested parties who want to buy or lease the Clark House from the Town to reopen it as a restaurant or possibly a brewpub. This would generate revenue that could be applied to, or cover, maintenance costs of SP.
Re long term planning, the Town will create a citizens committee to look at future needs for the Town that could utilize Shadow Pines. There are no proposals on the horizon to build a new library or community center, but as our town grows in the distant future it will be good that Shadow Pines will give us options when the Town needs land for future facilities. Better to buy low now than pay much later -- and in the meantime SP will save us every year on school costs.
Maintenance costs for keeping Shadow Pines as natural open space would be very inexpensive -- less than $30k/yr, according to Tony. This is a small fraction of what our parks cost to maintain.
There are some interested parties who want to buy or lease the Clark House from the Town to reopen it as a restaurant or possibly a brewpub. This would generate revenue that could be applied to, or cover, maintenance costs of SP.
Re long term planning, the Town will create a citizens committee to look at future needs for the Town that could utilize Shadow Pines. There are no proposals on the horizon to build a new library or community center, but as our town grows in the distant future it will be good that Shadow Pines will give us options when the Town needs land for future facilities. Better to buy low now than pay much later -- and in the meantime SP will save us every year on school costs.