“They paved paradise and put up a parking lot”
Quoting Joni Mitchell and Thoreau, Town Meeting voters overwhelming clicked “yes” to authorize the Select Board to acquire 5.8 acres of open space on Taylor Road, adjacent to the 65 acre Arboretum. The $1,445,000 cost of purchasing 46 Taylor Road will be funded through the Community Preservation Fund, transferring $1 million from the Open Space Set Aside account, and bonding up to $445,000 for a term of not more than 20 years. Principal and interest payments on the bond will total approximately $50,000 annually, to be paid out of CPA receipts.
No residents spoke against. The vote was 351 to 25, exceeding the 2/3 majority vote required to acquire property.
Peter J. Berry is vice-chair of the Acton Housing Authority Board of Commissioners, a member of the Community Preservation Committee, and a former Select Board member. He reliably steps forward to help the Acton Exchange cover Town Meeting.
CORRECTION May 11, 2026. The original version of this article misstated the cost of acquiring the 46 Taylor Road property. The total cost, as explained in the warrant, will be $1,445,000, which includes the $1.4 million purchase price plus $45,000 “due diligence cost.”
