Weighing options for uses of Pope property

SALISBURY — About 30 people came to Town Hall in Salisbury on Wednesday evening, May 22, to the first of what will be several discussions about options for the Pope property.

The Pope Committee was formed last March and charged by the Board of Selectmen “to review uses for the 59-acre former Pope property on Salmon Kill Road. Uses may include housing, conservation, recreation, economic development, agriculture, and other uses as suggested by citizens of the town.”

Chairman Tom Callahan recapped the activities of the committee over the last year. The committee met with the town recreation department,  the Planning and Zoning Commission, the Inland Wetlands/Conservation Commission, the Historic District Commission  and the Affordable Housing Commission, plus affordable housing groups: the Salisbury Housing Committee, the Salisbury Housing Trust and Habitat for Humanity.

The committee will meet with the Economic Development Committee next month.

Callahan emphasized that the Pope Committee’s job is not to determine a use, but to present the selectmen with options. The final disposition of the property must go to town meeting.

The May 22 meeting was designed to give the general public a chance to offer opinions.

Vice Chairman Mat Kiefer noted that the total buildable area is between 14 and 16 acres.

Of the comments offered, two were unambiguously pro-affordable housing. Four people mentioned preserving open space and/or creating trails or other recreational uses. (Some of the people speaking advocated for housing and open space, or housing and recreation, so the preceding is not a particularly scientific sample.)

Salisbury First Selectman Curtis Rand, who was sitting quietly in the back, said he believed that ultimately three or four uses will emerge from the discussion.

“The voters will decide this.”

Callahan said the committee is working on scheduling a Saturday morning walk of the property for those interested.