Billerica Open Space Committee Advances RFP Process for New Conservation Plan

BILLERICA -- April 4, 2023, Billerica Open Space Committee moves toward new conservation plan RFP, hears land prioritization pitch. The Open Space and Recreation Planning Committee voted 4-0 at its April 4 meeting to approve prior minutes and discussed issuing a Request for Proposals for the town's next state-required Open Space and Recreation Plan, expected to be funded from the Community Preservation Committee administrative fund, which carries at least $55,000 in the current town meeting warrant and may be higher once state matching funds are certified. A member identified as Clancy has reviewed the RFP scope and believes consultant costs can be held near prior-cycle pricing, despite nearly eight years elapsing since the last plan. Sudbury Valley Trustees Conservation Coordinator Samantha Corbin and Director of Stewardship Laura Mattei presented a free, publicly available watershed land prioritization mapping tool developed in 2021, demonstrating that one Billerica parcel under committee consideration ranks in the top 8 percent of unprotected land across the Sudbury, Assabet, and Concord River watershed for natural services value. The committee's next regular meeting is June 6, with a possible special meeting before then if the fiscal year-end funding deadline requires accelerated action.