Halifax Town-owned land dilemma
Halifax – Selectmen met briefly Tuesday, Dec. 29 to discuss the sale of town-owned parcels of land that may be buildable or useful to abutters. They also took under consideration a citizen complaint regarding a dog near the Winnetuxet Children’s Place private preschool.
Joy Marble came before the Board to present a proposal to sell a town-owned parcel of land at 5 Short Street. Although the lot is smaller than the town by-laws currently describe as a “buildable lot”, because it currently has a foundation on the lot, it is “grandfathered-in” and could hypothetically be developed. A neighbor is already using it, at 4 Short Street, according to Marble, although she did not say for what.
Marble has been researching all sorts of town-owned parcels of land that might be used to collect tax revenue for the town. Often abutters are using them, knowingly or not as if they are their own property and may be interested in purchasing them. Not all town-owned parcels are buildable, or attractive to abutters.
Marble wanted to first float the idea with the specific property at 5 Short Street, simply because it could be developed. But, according to Charlie Seelig, Town Administrator, the Board of Health is interested in the property as a possible site for an alternative sewage system, which is generally a sewage system that does some processing on site.
The Board sought further input from the Board of Health before proceeding with any type of sale and plans to invite them to a future meeting to discuss the idea.
The Selectmen also discussed a Halifax citizen’s complaint about a dog, technically living in Plympton, but abutting the Winnetuxet Children’s Place preschool, which has apparently been scaring several children.
Because the dog is in Plympton, and Plympton has no leash law, according to Seelig the only action the Board can take is to ask that the Plympton authorities investigate that the dog is licensed and vaccinated. Should the dog wander into Halifax– which has a leash law– the Halifax Animal Control Officer could then take action.