Purchase of 360 acres moves forward

The purchase of 360 acres of prime land in Groton for conservation purposes advanced to the next stage of the approval cycle Monday night when the Board of Selectmen voted, 4 to 1, to put the proposal on the April 24 Town Meeting warrant.

As a result of the selectmen's action, the San Francisco-based Trust for Public Land, which is spearheading the acquisition, will make a $4.9 million deposit for the former farmland off Farmer's Row and Shirley Road, near the Ayer line, said Badge Blackett, senior project manager in the nonprofit organization's Boston office.

The public land trust has an agreement to buy the land for $19.4 million from the Marion Danielson Strachan Family Trust, the Marion D. Campbell Trust, and Newbury Street Development of Exeter, N.H.

But everything hinges on Groton voters' approval because town government, through bond purchases, would have to pitch in $5.65 million toward the purchase. The town's Community Preservation Committee voted, 6 to 1, also on Monday night, to use preservation funds to help purchase the 360 acres.

The Groton School, whose property is situated just north of the targeted land, has pledged $5 million if Groton voters back the acquisition.

If, on the other hand, Groton voters reject the land purchase, it's possible that Newbury Street Development or another developer would try to convert portions of the land to house lots, Blackett said, noting that the Exeter firm has permitted plans for 130 housing units on 164 acres.

''But the Groton [town] boards have thoroughly evaluated what we're proposing, and we're hopeful that voters will concur next month," Blackett added.

The proposal to buy one of the last large tracts of pristine land in town ''is complicated, with lots of partners and lots of money involved," said Ed McNierney, president of the Groton Conservation Trust. ''But I think there will be good support [for the proposal] from townspeople once they know what it's all about."

Town Planning Administrator Michelle Collette said, ''We're very excited about" the benefits of having the land preserved, ''and we hope voters will give needed support."

Selectmen voting to proceed with land purchase plans were chairman Fran Dillon, Peter Cunningham, Mihran Keoseian, and Jack Saball. Robert ''Win" Nordblom dissented, without comment.

Nordblom and Dillon could not be reached Tuesday for their views.

Before becoming involved in Groton, the public land trust worked to preserve the 265-acre Belmont Springs property in Pepperell and the 285-acre East Boston Camps property in Westford.

Blackett said that some 11,000 acres of land in Massachusetts are now under protection as a result of the land trust's efforts.