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S 3052

An Act authorizing the town of Dighton to use a portion of conservation land for public way purposes.

194th Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Kelly Dooner and 1 co-sponsor

Allows Dighton to transfer a 514 sq ft conservation parcel to municipal use to support the Pleasant Street Bridge replacement.

Read second and ordered to a third reading
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Bill Summary · S 3052

Summary: S. 3052 (194th General Court, Massachusetts)

Title

An Act authorizing the town of Dighton to use a portion of conservation land for public way purposes.

Purpose and Intent

  • To authorize the Town of Dighton to transfer care, custody, management, and control of a small parcel of land from the town’s conservation land holdings to the town’s Board of Selectmen for general municipal purposes.
  • Specifically, the act allows use of the land to support the replacement of a roadway bridge serving a nearby public way.
  • The underlying goal is to facilitate public infrastructure improvements (a bridge) by modifying the land’s designated use from conservation to municipal purposes.

Key Provisions

  • Section 1 authorizes the transfer of a 514-square-foot portion of land located at 0 Pleasant Street in Dighton and identified on a plan as Parcels E-2, GR-1, and S-3.
  • The parcel is shown on the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) Highway Division plan and profile for Pleasant Street Bridge No. D-08-002, prepared by BETA Group, Inc., including temporary easements as depicted in the plan.
  • The land is to be transferred from the conservation commission (for conservation purposes) to the Board of Selectmen for general municipal purposes, including use in the replacement of the nearby bridge.
  • The parcels are identified on the town’s assessor maps as 076/020.0-0012 and 076/020.0-0013.
  • The land originally includes land acquired by the town for conservation, recorded in Bristol County Northern District registry of deeds (Book 19498, Page 268).

Affected Entities

  • Town of Dighton:
    • Conservation Commission: relinquishes care, custody, management, and control of the specified parcel.
    • Board of Selectmen: would gain control for general municipal purposes, including bridge replacement.
  • MassDOT project context: the parcel is part of the designated right-of-way plans for the Pleasant Street Bridge project, indicating a link to an infrastructure improvement funded or overseen within state transportation planning.
  • Local residents and property users: bridge replacement and public roadway improvements potentially impacting traffic flow, access, and surrounding land use.

Procedural and Timeline Aspects

  • Effective date: The act takes effect upon passage.
  • Legislative action: The bill was reported favorably by the Senate Committee on Environment and Natural Resources and placed in the Orders of the Day for the next session, indicating it is ready for further consideration in the Legislature.
  • Related filing: The petition accompanying the bill originated as Senate No. 2961 (in the same session) and reflects a local-town initiative supported by the town’s officials.

Practical Impact

  • Enables the Town of Dighton to reclassify a small conservation land parcel to municipal use to support the replacement of a bridge, potentially accelerating or simplifying the project’s land-use approvals.
  • Ensures explicit statutory authorization for this transfer, reducing potential conflicts between conservation and municipal infrastructure needs.
  • The transfer is limited to 514 square feet and is tied to the specific plan and roadway project, limiting broader geographic impact on conservation lands.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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