A significant portion of the meeting was dedicated to the concern of possible encroachment on the H Road property. The Trust debated the merits of conducting a full survey, estimated at $15,000, versus relying on a 30-foot buffer to prevent encroachment without incurring such costs.

The Blood Road property was another focal point, with attention given to water found along the easement and the encroachment issue stemming from a driveway and yard waste on town-owned land. The Trust examined the NBTA Community zoning language, particularly the inclusion of affordable units in developments with fewer than 10 dwellings. Further, the MHP Grant’s status and updates for the Blood Road property were reviewed, including an environmental report and an engineering assessment. The members considered organizing a community meeting once more information on the property is available.

Cost concerns were evident in the discussions of affordable housing development. The meeting covered the Massachusetts Housing Partnership (MHP) conference and the Citizen Planner conference, with reports on sessions about affordable housing financing and the disposal of public land for such purposes. A particularly stark figure was the estimated development cost of $600,000 per unit in the Boston area. The Trust also addressed the challenges associated with deed-restricted affordable housing, the definition of accessory dwelling units (ADUs), and the impact of high land acquisition costs on housing development. The conversation pointed to the complexities of affordable housing development, including policy considerations and the potential effects of legislative changes on ADU regulations.

Further discussions included the role of non-profit developers in the development of affordable housing and the possibility of ADUs being converted into short-term rentals. The impact of these housing models on the local community was a key point of debate.

Other housing ideas and examples from different regions, such as veterans housing in Marshfield and father bills homeless shelters, were presented to the Trust. Funding mechanisms for affordable housing projects, such as the low-income housing tax credit, were also on the agenda. The importance of maintaining an inventory of affordable homes and tracking their status was underscored, as was the potential use of Community Preservation Act (CPA) funds to provide grants to seniors to aid in home retention. Interest from Habitat for Humanity in undertaking housing projects in Townsend was acknowledged, with plans to submit a warrant by the fiscal year’s end.

In addition to these discussions, the Trust addressed the forestry contract, which involved ratifying changes to the scope of services. This included the harvest of mature trees on designated acres of land while maintaining a forested buffer along roadway frontage. The process of signing documents was deliberated, with questions raised about the necessity of dual signatures for certain documents.

A debate on staggering the terms to comply with the charter occurred.

The meeting concluded with the forwarding of the financial report and the scheduling of future meetings, taking into account the members’ availability and the anticipated response times from MHP regarding the Blood Road property, with a joint meeting planned for July 11th.