SOUTHWICK — Meeting for the second time since a brawl between visitors and neighbors just outside the North Pond Conservation Area, the Select Board on July 22 discussed forming a task force to address misuse of the property.
“At this point, it’s incumbent on us as [the Select Board] to take feedback that we got from our residents to act, in the absence of action by others for the last four years, to bring this situation to some sense of normalcy,” said Select Board member Doug Moglin.
He was referring to the nearly dozen residents who spoke during the board’s July 15 meeting with concerns about personal safety, noise and trash. At that meeting, the board had voted to temporarily close the parking area at the conservation area, following a street fight on July 13.
Moglin said a task force would allow officials and residents to share their thoughts about what needs to be done at North Pond. He suggested the members of the task force come from the Police, Fire and Public Works departments, the Conservation Commission, a Select Board member, and maybe a resident or two.
For Moglin, the big unknown about how to address the issues in the area was who or what agency oversees enforcing the rules, such as bans on swimming, camping, open fires, alcohol, glass containers, litter, mountain bikes, and destruction of vegetation.
As an example, Moglin asked who has the authority to tell a visitor that it’s illegal to use a barbecue grill in the conservation area, and what happens if that person tells a town official or police officer to “pound sand.”
“There’s no rule of law. No mechanism,” he said.
He then suggested that maybe the town needs a bylaw to establish and define specific violations on town property. But that would take a vote of Town Meeting, which would take time, he said.
Reconfiguring the parking lot was another option, he said, adding that it would discourage large gatherings in the parking lot or on the property.
Since the July 13 fight, in addition to closing off the parking area, temporary “no parking” signs have been placed in both directions on South Longyard Road. Moglin said the town needed to go through a legal process to have permanent “no parking” signs installed, which would include a public hearing, followed by a Select Board vote.
He also said additional signs are needed in the area spelling out the prohibited activities, and a larger sign in the kiosk of the parking area.
The Police Department has announced that it would be actively patrolling the area for the remainder of the summer.
The primary challenge the board has in trying to control the improper activities in the area is because when it was purchased for $4 million in 2019, the town got financial assistance from the Franklin Land Trust and the state Division of Fisheries and Wildlife.
In exchange for its financial assistance, the state placed a conservation restriction on the property. The restriction mandates that the land remain open for the public for “passive recreation” like hunting, trapping, fishing, hiking, cross-country skiing and wildlife observation. It also prohibits “active” recreation such as swimming, camping, grilling, picnicking and jumping from trees into the water.
Select Board member Jason Perron said in a perfect situation, the town could purchase the property from the state and establish its own rules. But he recognized that wasn’t financially possible.
