Public asked to weigh in on farm's future

As five developers jockey for control of the 20-acre Hamilton-Locke Farm and a multimillion-dollar contract to build on the coveted space, residents like Robert Johnson are bracing up.

The Board of Selectmen has stated it will use a forum on the project tomorrow night as a barometer of public opinion to decide which of the five proposals to choose.

Johnson, a Town Meeting member, will be at that meeting because he has a stake in the outcome in more ways that one: The fiscal impact will hit him in the wallet, and the plan selected may significantly alter his view of the rolling hills and wide-open spaces from his front door on Edward Drive.

"Obviously, as a close, direct abutter, the minimum amount of development would be best," he said. "But I think we all can appreciate that the town needs to make a fair portion of its money back."

If previous meetings on the matter are any measure, Johnson won't be alone at McCall Middle School at 7 p.m. Over the past few months, hundreds have gathered at a series of meeting s regarding the farm's future.

The contenders have come down to these: Abbott Development, Highland Real Estate Development, Maggiore Cos., Taurus Management Services, and the Trust for Public Land.

Within the next week and a half, selectmen are expected to decide which will go before Town Meeting on June 4.

Hamilton-Locke Farm has had a storied past in town spanning 200 years. It has been only in the last nine months, however, that the property has been a major focus of town officials.

When farm owners Bertha and Curtis Hamilton opted to sell, the town was able to secure a $13.6 million debt-exclusion override of Proposition 2 1/2 and the blessing of Town Meeting to buy the land within a tight 120-day time frame. The quick action blocked developers from razing the farm and gave Winchester control of the parcel.

But selectmen got far from a blank check: Town Meeting signed off with the understanding the town would reap no less than $7 million from the investment.

All of the prospective developers have candidly acknowledged the pressures they have been under. But while some characterize the speedy process between bidders as friendly, others say it has been extremely competitive.

And it has been cumbersome to balance the needs of neighbors, preservationists, and taxpayers while staying ahead of the pack, they say.

"The short answer is, no, you can't solve everyone's problems," said Bob Engler, principal of Stockard Engler Brigham LLC in Cambridge, which is partnering with Abbott Development of Boston on a proposal to pay $12.5 million for the land and donate $1 million to affordable housing.

In exchange, the developer will build two four-story buildings on the northwest portion of the property containing 86 units while preserving what Abbott developer Jim McAuliffe calls "the most open space of any of the proposals."

The developers have been criticized for the amount of blasting that will be needed for their design but say that each of the other proposals also will need some sort of blasting to penetrate the ledge. Abbott also has agreed pay for trees and shrubs that will block neighbors ' views of the proposed new buildings.

Abbott's biggest competition is a proposal drafted by the Trust for Public Land, The Winchester Hamilton Farm Interest Group, and Symes Development, who have joined with a dozen other nonprofits to offer what they call the "conservation alternative."

Kim Gilman, a spokeswoman for the Trust for Public Land, said 70 percent of the farm would be preserved, and Winchester would recoup $7.8 million through grants and private donations.

The trust has proposed two schematics -- seven townhouses and 13 single-family dwellings, or 28 townhouses and four single-family houses.

Under the Trust for Public Land's plan, groups already are in place to preserve the historic farmhouses and landscapes.

"We are sort of like a cup of instant coffee; all you have to do is add water. The rest of the proposals are an empty cup," said Susan Youmans, head of the Winchester Hamilton Farm Interest Group.

Most of more than a dozen neighbors interviewed for this story said they want the land preserved as much as possible, which would make the Abbott and Trust for Public Land proposals the front runners going into tomorrow's meeting.

But some also said a fiscally responsible option is important.

"I am hoping the town can walk the middle ground and not solely rely on the tax burden to preserve land," said Brenda Johnson, a Precinct 5 Town Meeting member. She is not related to Robert Johnson,

That bodes well for developers like Paul Maggiore, a lifelong resident of Winchester and president of Maggiore Cos., one of the other finalists.

"To be honest, I'd have a much better feeling if everyone in town were behind the project," Maggiore said.

"As a 56-year resident, I have pride in this town. It's the only place I'd ever live, and I know what the quality people here want."

Maggiore has offered the town $8.2 million to build 46 two-story, three-bedroom townhouses. Under the plan, $600,000 would be donated to the town for affordable housing elsewhere.

Mark Romanowicz, vice president of Highland Real Estate Development of Needham, said his company would pay $7.5 million and build 44 townhouses designed for "empty-nesters."

The purchase price of the farm would include $400,000 that can be used for affordable housing and $80,000 for on-site improvements.

Romanowicz said his proposal's strength is that Winchester residents are familiar with the product -- Highland built The Ledges near the Woburn Country Club -- although he said he wished he had more time for neighborhood outreach.

The final proposal by Taurus Management Services, a Boston developer, has significantly reduced its desired units from 88 to 42. For a $8.3 million purchase price, the town would receive a high-end community for people 55 and older with 5 percent of the units affordable.

Despite the parade of developers and analyses, neighbors said they continue to be focused on what matters most to them.

"What drew people to this section of town is that there isn't much development," said Robert Johnson. "I just hope the town does the right thing."

Melissa Beecher can be reached at mbeecher@globe.com.