Boxborough Finance Committee Votes 5-1 to Pay Developer for Town's Taylor Farm Road Error

BOXBOROUGH -- March 11, 2025, Boxborough Finance Committee votes 5-1 to recommend paying a developer $4,200 to settle a town-caused error over an 8.5-acre conservation parcel. Planning Director Alex Wade told the committee at the March 11 meeting that the Taylor Farm Road parcel was supposed to be donated to the town as a condition of a subdivision permit years ago but was never accepted after a former Town Administrator gave the Select Board bad advice, leaving the developer paying taxes on unbuildable land. Committee member Tony Newton backed the payment, saying "this guy's now left holding the bag," while Joe Stolpin cast the lone dissenting vote, arguing that accepting the land donation was remedy enough without a cash payment. Wade also told the committee the Planning Board has withdrawn its MBTA Communities Act multifamily housing district article from the Spring Annual Town Meeting and will target a Fall Town Meeting instead, with a December 2025 state compliance deadline and significant grant funding at risk if the article fails.