Salisbury should buy land

It’s not often that any town in the United States today, much less one founded in 1741, has the opportunity to purchase land in very close proximity to its center. By now, most towns have either developed such land or had it wrested from their control. And when the latter happens, and that land is purchased by commercial developers, the controls of planning and zoning enforcement may not be enough to ensure that the town maintains its character in a way that the majority of its residents would prefer.

But this is just what Salisbury is facing now with the chance to purchase two parcels, one 6 acres and the other 56 acres (with about 20 of them buildable). The sellers are the Pope family who, residents should remember, previously donated to the town a large tract of land just up Salmon Kill Road from Main Street, now home to Salisbury Family Services, Salisbury Visiting Nurse Association, Housatonic Child Care Center, Trotta Fields and basketball courts and the town’s Community Garden. 

The generosity of the Pope family benefited the town greatly with that land donation in the early 1990s. Now, Salisbury’s next generation could benefit from the town’s purchase of this remaining land. The appraisal of the land is at $1.6 million, and the question for vote at town meeting will note that the price cannot exceed that amount, but could be less. There will be no statement of usage accompanying the vote, leaving that up to a future planning committee. 

This step is being taken to place control of the acreage in the hands of the town. It’s a proposal that takes the long-term vitality and planning of the town into consideration, and deserves to be approved by voters. What could the downside be? 

There are financial concerns, of course, but the town board of selectmen, which voted unanimously to recommend purchase of the land, is convinced that the mill rate will remain steady even with the expenditure.

There are other fiscal commitments now, including the new transfer station, the Amesville bridge and renovations at Salisbury Central School, that need to be fulfilled. But the Pope land does not need to be developed immediately. In fact, it’s probably better in the long run if time is taken now to evaluate the options for the land’s use and the ways it will best serve the needs of the community.

Will Salisbury choose wisely when it comes to deciding on the use of the land? Looking at how the previous parcel was used more than 20 years ago, it would seem that Salisbury residents should again be able to do well when the committee is formed and another vote taken to approve those uses. The Salmon Kill Road property houses agencies, as noted, that are of crucial importance to the quality of life for all generations of the town’s residents. 

Having the property that is currently for sale become part of the town’s holdings will help to ensure that the land is used in a way that is in keeping with its character and long-term planning. Salisbury voters should agree to purchase the Pope property at the town meeting on Thursday, Aug. 11, at 7:30 p.m. at Salisbury Central School.

Once that is done, the rest can be up for discussion, something that Salisbury does very well.