TIME SENSITIVE: Information meeting Feb. 24, Vote March 3

On February 3, 2004 the Bolton Board of Selectmen approved a purchase offer of $280,000.00 from Roger G. Barrett, Jr. of Country Carpenters, Inc. for 7.46 acres of town-owned property on Rt. 85/West Street. This is a commercially zoned portion of the approximately 50-acre Peracchio Farm Property, which the town purchased in 1999. It should be noted that, of the eleven acres originally zoned for business, four were deemed wetlands, unfit for building, and were removed from the sale parcel by prior decision of the Selectmen. These four acres were added to the abutting Herrick Park, an action desired by many residents who responded to the town-wide questionnaire on the subject.

There will be an informational town meeting on this proposed sale at 7:00 P.M. on February 24, at the Bolton Senior Center. A Special Town Meeting will be held at 7:00 P.M. on March 3, at the Bolton Senior Center for the purpose of voting on this proposal.

The business which Country Carpenters proposes for this site involves the design, manufacture, sale and installation of exposed timber ceilings that will give rooms in both existing and new homes an old fashioned appearance. Related products such as board paneling, beaded trim, interior panel doors, period hardware and wide board flooring will also be offered for sale.

The firm will construct a center chimney Cape Cod style model home on the site. It will have the appearance of a Colonial Era dwelling and will serve as a sales office, showroom and design area. A post and beam barn will be erected nearby to provide retail sales space and several outbuildings in the rear will be used for layout and cutting of lumber and beams.

Save Our Beautiful Bolton, a citizens’ group concerned with all aspects of development in Bolton, unanimously endorses this sale, which it feels will benefit everyone in town. The sales proceeds, considerably higher than previous offers defeated at referendum, will substantially offset the March 1999 $570,000.00 expenditure for the entire Peracchio property.

The business development proposed here will generate substantial annual property tax revenues for Bolton. This will be a positive step toward the reducing the town’s overwhelming reliance on residential property tax revenues.

Most significant is the fact that the business proposed by Mr. Barrett is entirely appropriate to the rural residential and historic nature of this site - a highly visible window to the town that one sees upon entering Bolton from the west via the sweeping curve of Route 85.

Save Our Beautiful Bolton asks you to join in voting for this sale. It is suitable commercial development of the best kind that will add to the quality of life in Bolton and make the town a better place for all.

Sincerely,
Members of SOBB
(Save Our Beautiful Bolton)