Town Meeting Approves Nearly $1M for Preservation, Land Purchase

Scituate residents approved nearly $1 million in Community Preservation funds at Town Meeting this week, backing four projects that include land acquisition, open space protection, and the preservation of historic town properties.

The largest appropriation, totaling $750,000, will fund the purchase of two contiguous parcels on Clapp Road totaling 16.4 acres. The land, which connects to the existing 37-acre Higgins-McAllister Conservation property, will expand public access for walking trails and protect open space from development.

“The property abuts conservation land already and will be a great addition to the town’s property holdings,” said Community Preservation Committee Chair Dan Fennelly. “It will be used as a recreational facility adjoining the existing park that’s there right now.”

Fennelly said a purchase and sale agreement has been signed for $700,000, with a $50,000 contingency set aside for closing costs, conservation restrictions, and any unforeseen expenses.

In addition to the land purchase, residents voted to fund three historic preservation projects. The first will allocate $3,500 to upgrade lighting outside GAR Hall to improve visibility and safety in the parking lot. The Historical Society will contribute $1,200 toward that project.

The second project, funded at $145,000, will replace the roof and perform structural repairs at the Cudworth House and Barn. The buildings, both more than two decades old, are home to several of the town’s historic resources. “This is basically to protect them, as well as to address some structural requirements for the house itself that needs beam replacement,” Fennelly said

The final project, for $125,000, marks the first phase of restoration for the Mordecai Lincoln House, the 17th-century home built by the ancestor of President Abraham Lincoln. The work will focus on immediate needs such as foundation stabilization, drainage improvements, and repairs to prevent further water damage.

“These funds will address the immediate needs in order to get the property renovated and into shape to be used by the town,” Fennelly told voters.

The Advisory Committee voted unanimously, six to zero, to support the Community Preservation Committee’s recommendations. Town Meeting approved the article by unanimous voice vote.