Bill > S2474

This bill authorizes the Commonwealth, specifically the division of capital asset management and maintenance (DCAMM), to grant an easement to the town of Barnstable for a parcel of land acquired for conservation purposes, allowing it to be used as a shared pedestrian and bicycle path, such as an extension of the Cape Cod Rail Trail. In return, and to ensure no loss of protected land, the town of Barnstable must grant or assign conservation restrictions on several of its own parcels of land to the Commonwealth, also for conservation purposes, with the town responsible for all associated costs. These conservation restrictions are legally binding agreements that limit the use of the land to protect its natural resources. The bill also stipulates that the easement granted by the Commonwealth will revert back to the Commonwealth if it is no longer used for its intended purpose.