Monday, March 19, 2012
A second discussion about future uses for the town-owned Busa Farms property could provide a clearer picture of the affordable housing and open space uses.
Earlier this month, the Board of Selectmen decided on uses for the town-owned Busa Farms property, and designated a portion for affordable housing and the remainder for open space uses. Tonight, they might take another step toward defining what that means. A stretch along Lowell Street toward Arlington has been locked in for affordable housing, but the selectmen’s March 5 vote kept the door open for a community farm, playing fields or both on the remainder of the approximately eight-acre parcel. At the March 5 meeting, many supporters of a community farm cast the “open space” designation as the selectmen’s disregard for the recommendation of the Busa Land Use Proposal Committee, which supported a community farm and some affordable housing …
42.43333
-71.18816
Busa Farms
52 Lowell St, Lexington, MA
/articles/busa-uses-land-back-before-board-of-selectmen
188199
/locations/6616380
42.446369
-71.22389
Cary Memorial Building
1605 Massachusetts Ave, Lexington, MA
/articles/busa-uses-land-back-before-board-of-selectmen
232593
/locations/6616381
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Audubon Road resident David Hoose writes that the Busa Farms land was every bit as important a "Witness to the Battle" the as historic homes surrounding the Battle Green, and should be treated as such.
Whether the Busa Farms land lives as a community farm, is turned into affordable housing or is paved over for athletic use matters less than the opportunity—one of the few remaining—that Lexington has to deepen a crucial link to our unique history. Along with dozens of other farms in the area, this modest plot of land, which became a farm as early as the 1640s, grew and supplied food to the early European settlers, to Revolutionary War era citizens, and to local families for two more centuries. Its roots lie deep in our Lexington history. In fact, Thomas Winship, descendent of the first family known to have farmed this land, fought and was wounded on Lexington Green on April 19, 1775. We would be wise to think of our history as imbedded in…
42.43333
-71.18816
Busa Farms
52 Lowell St, Lexington, MA
/articles/letter-busa-land-s-roots-lie-deep-in-lexington-s-history
188199
/locations/6571827
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
As housing plans progress, LexFarm pushes for integrated development of the Busa Land.
The same night LexHAB shared its plans to plan out eight units of housing along Lowell Street on the “Arlington side” of the Busa Land, LexFarm urged the Board of Selectmen to consider integrated/mixed uses for any housing structures. Addressing the selectmen Monday night, LexHAB’s Bill Hays said he was delivering on a request to look into eight units of affordable housing along Lowell Street, on the “Arlington side” of the at the Busa Farms property. “We have no produce to deliver,” said Hays. “We’re merely here to tell you what the development of the proposal might entail, what the time for that might be and how we’ll handle the cost.” According to Hays, a presentation on a possible development could be ready for the selectmen’s …
42.43333
-71.18816
Busa Farms
52 Lowell St, Lexington, MA
/articles/busa-farms-as-a-mixed-use-development
188199
/locations/5861449
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Share your opinion in the comments.
Yesterday, town officials and others toured the Busa Land in East Lexington, an irregular parcel of town-owned land currently farmed by Dennis Busa, its former owner. It was a site visit for the Board of Selectmen, who were joined by the town’s Busa Land Use Proposal and Recreation committees, as well as other community members. The next step, the selectmen said, is to take an in-depth look at the BLUPC’s report, which recommends the land be used for a community farm and affordable housing, uses in different Community Preservation Act categories. With that in mind, how would you like to see the process play out? What would be your ideal use (or uses) for the Busa Land?
42.43333
-71.18816
Busa Farms
52 Lowell St, Lexington, MA
/articles/question-of-the-day-what-now-for-busa-farms
188199
/locations/4601642
Holly Pearson
8:13 am on Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Thank you, David for pointing out the historic value of the "Busa Land". To me, your piece makes it even more clear that the land should remain a farm and not be divided up and paved over. A very limited number of housing units (as recommended by LexFarm) could work but any further tampering would be a great loss and hugely shortsighted. Holly Pearson more ›