By Richard Conn/Daily News staff
Daily News Tribune
Posted Jan 20, 2009 @ 01:24 AM
WALTHAM —

Sometime in the not-too-distant future, the state is expected to declare either some or all of the almost 200 acres at the Walter E. Fernald Developmental Center as surplus.

When that day comes, state Rep. Thomas Stanley, D-Waltham, said he wants to make sure Waltham, as well as all other other cities and towns that host state-owned surplus property, are safeguarded.

Stanley is reintroducing legislation that he hopes will protect cities and towns by offering those communities the first crack at buying surplus parcels as well as offering discounts to those communities if they choose to go ahead and purchase land.

Among the provisions included in Stanley's bill - municipalities would be able to buy land that the state puts on the auction block at a 50 percent discount, before it's offered to private developers at full price.

The legislation would also require that, if a city or town opts not to buy the land, it would still receive 25 percent of the proceeds from the sale of the property. In addition, Stanley's bill would also allow cities and towns the ability to pay for land over a five-year period.

While Stanley said it's understandable that the state wants to make as much money as it can off its land sales, he said communities have to be protected. He said such legislation is "long overdue." Stanley's bill would also require a roll call vote of the Legislature to approve surplus land sales.

"If you don't have that, the state would be able to dispose of the property whenever they see fit," Stanley said.

Along with giving cities and towns the right of first refusal on buying land, Stanley said his legislation would also give a municipality the option of transferring that right to a non-profit organization that wants to purchase the land.

As for the Fernald property, the state announced plans late last year to close the Fernald Center by July 2010.

A local reuse committee, headed by Mayor Jeannette McCarthy was formed in 2004 to come up with a plan for the property. Also on the committee are Stanley, state Rep. Peter Koutoujian, D-Waltham, state Sen. Susan Fargo, D-Lincoln, Council President Thomas Curtin, Planning Director Ron Vokey and several Waltham residents selected by the mayor.

Richard Conn can be reached at 781-398-8004 or rconn@cnc.com.
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