Wright Farm Purchase Approved

After many nights and many hours, Lexington’s annual Town Meeting concluded Wednesday, May 16, with the quick and decisive approval of a plan to .

The land is to be acquired for a little more than $3.1 million, including $2.95 million for the land itself and another approximately $150,000 in additional expenses. In its recommendation last month, the Community Preservation Committee recommended $500,000 to be paid up front, with the remainder to be bonded.

A small portion of the property, which includes a farmhouse and barn, will be retained by the seller and occupied by a member of the Wright family. The town retains the first right of refusal on that parcel.

Located in the northwest corner of Lexington, the Wright Farm property sits along Grove Street, near the town’s borders with Bedford and Burlington.

The land acquisition for conservation purposes protects the land from potential development and preserves it as a “gateway to Lexington,” officials said. Proponents of the purchase have noted its value as open space, given its proximity to the Burlington Landlocked Forest, the Paint Mine Conservation Area in Lexington and Bedford’s Old Reservoir.

There was very little opposition to the proposal to purchase the Wright Farm property, which many officials have said has been discussed for some time now. One supporter, however, did note that while he supports the purchase of this swath of open space for passive recreation, there is a "crying need" for more recreational fields in Lexington.