By Melanie Petrucci, Senior Community Reporter
Northborough – Town Planner Kathy Joubert appeared before the Board of Selectmen at their Dec. 17 meeting to seek approval of a Conservation Restriction (CR) for 301 Bartlett St., which is the last step needed in this multi-year process.
There is a large warehouse currently under construction at the site. This restriction will permanently protect 23.2 acres of land by preventing further building on this site, which is a priority habitat area for the Blue-Spotted Salamander – an endangered species under the Massachusetts Endangered Species Act (MESA) which was discovered in 2008.
It is important to note that this CR is identical to one that the board signed in 2008. The state is requiring a new and updated form but the elements of the 2008 CR have not changed. It was essentially a housekeeping task.
Joubert said that this is the last step and that Town Counsel has reviewed this as well.
“This particular project falls in some of that priority habitat so what the state did was through their review process with the Natural Heritage and through the Division of Fisheries & Wildlife, they worked with the developer and requested that there be an area that would have a Conservation Restriction placed on it so no building could ever happen there,” Joubert informed the board.
The Conservation Commission approved to accept and signed their portion of this restriction at their meeting held Dec. 10. The board unanimously voted to approve this acceptance Dec. 17.
