Northampton and Westhampton are moving closer to purchasing 87 acres of land off of Turkey Hill Road that straddles both communities.
NORTHAMPTON - With a March 7 deadline, the city was able to raise the community part of the money needed to buy the city’s share of land off Turkey Hill Road.
Now Westhampton, its partner in the purchase, has to finish its fund-raising, so the city can close on the project at the end of May.
The city had received is a $135,960 Massachusetts Land Acquisition for Natural Diversity grant towards the purchase of 30 acres on the westerly end of Turkey Hill Road but needed to raise money $20,000 toward its total $221,000 share of the project. Some of that is coming from additional grants that are still pending as well as money from the Community Preservation Act funding, said Planning Director Wayne M. Feiden.
“It is exciting,” Feiden said. “The funds are critical; it makes grant writing easier.”
This land is considered a keystone parcel that holds the Mineral Hills Conservation Area together. Nearly 400 acres of open space in the area are either owned by the city or protected from development. The city bought 120 acres in 2006 for $680,000. Northampton’s goal has been to preserve a corridor between the Turkey Hill conservation land and the Mineral Hills natural area.
The Westhampton total cost is $96,000 for its 57 acres, said Sally Loomis projects manager with the Hadley-based Valley Land Fund who is helping with grant writing on the project.
Loomis said that the land owner John Skibiski “doesn’t want to close separately,” so they need to raise the Westhampton money by the end of May when Northampton wants to close on the project.
They are applying now for a $48,000 State Conservation Partnership Grant - half of the project cost. They are also applying for $10,000 more from the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts.
The land in Northampton has greater development potential than the Westhampton parcel, hence the higher price tag.
Westhampton is getting close, said Sheila Marks who has been helping that community raise money. She said as of Thursday they had answered a challenge from the Valley Land Fund. With $10,000 raised, the trust will give them $5,000. She said they were just about at a second challenge grant of $2,500 from Nonotuck Land Fund by raising $5,000.
They have received an additional $2,500 from the Highland Community Initiative and a $10,000 Wharton Grant
The Pascommuck Conservation Trust has also contributed $1,000 which was included in the Valley Land Fund challenge. “It’s very exciting.” She said they are getting support from so many different groups.
“It’s a beautiful piece of land” especially in the context of the other preserved land. She said a trail committee is being formed in Northampton looking at connecting the parcels.
But they are still short of money - about $18,000 if they are unable to receive the $10,000 grant from the Community Foundation because so many groups are in need. And she said time is running out.
Anyone wishing to help can send donations to the Valley Land Trust, P.O Box 522, Hadley, MA. 01035. Any amount would help, Marks said. People should write the Westhampton Mineral Hills project on the check memo line.