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The push is on to acquire the 13.66 acres of land that sit on the Stoneham/Winchester line known as Forest Ridge. And on Oct. 8, the state sweetened the pot with a $425,000 Local Acquisitions for Natural Diversity (LAND) Grant.
The grant, which aims to support conservation commissions in protecting natural land, was part of $13 million given to 45 projects across Massachusetts, through the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, “investing in the creation of parks, the protection of forests and wetlands, and the expansion of safe, accessible outdoor spaces for residents.”
Winchester Conservation Commission Chair Tracy Olson sent an email blast the same day to announce the LAND grant, saying she was “delighted” to share the news.
She said the Conservation Commission (ConCom) applied online for the grant in July, supplying a great deal of information to the state during the month-long process. She said the grant is not based on the wealth of a community, but the quality of the land and value for conservation, accessibility and environmental justice.
ConCom has applied for other grants, such as the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) grant, a federal grant overseen by the National Park Service.
Olson said a grant manager helped the town through the process, which is similar in structure to the LAND grant process. The LWCF could bring in $1 million.
Olson said the grant is limited in its use of eminent domain and could not be used for the Forest Ridge project.
She added Winchester was already turned down for a third grant because it was aimed at preserving large tracts of land, much larger than the Forest Ridge parcel.
Eminent domain
Why does this grant matter so much to Olson and ConCom? Let’s go back to earlier this year when the Conservation Commission made a pitch to spring Town Meeting in May to buy Forest Ridge outright for $3 million and use Community Preservation Act funds to pay the debt service.
Despite a lively debate, Town Meeting members voted 59-105 against Article 35.
But that hasn’t deterred Olson, ConCom or Forest Ridge supporters. The issue is back on the town warrant for the fall Town Meeting as Article 20.
Fall Town Meeting kicks off Thursday, Nov. 5 at 7 p.m. at Winchester High School.
In June, an appraisal was done in order to apply for the federal LWCF grant. That number came in at $2.85 million, about $780,000 below the October 2025 appraisal the town carried into the spring.
Olson said state and federal grants would cover at least 50% of the property’s cost, leaving Winchester with only $1.4 million to pay.
There’s only one hitch. The property is under agreement between owner the Shannon Investment Trust and Connecticut-based developer Bell Point LLC, which builds in eastern Massachusetts and New Hampshire.
Town Meeting would need to approve an eminent domain taking of Forest Ridge with a 2/3 vote before the Select Board could act.
Olson said the development agreement has put Forest Ridge on footing that’s much different from when ConCom approached spring Town Meeting in May.
“A lot of people at spring Town Meeting were saying the land was not able to be developed, but someone who is very experienced thinks that it can be developed,” Olson said, of the push to take Forest Ridge now. “That’s validation of conserving Forest Ridge. There’s real value in conserving this land.”
She added the fact that both state and federal agencies are putting their money towards saving Forest Ridge is also validation.
An inside look at the Forest Ridge property. COURTESY PHOTOS/TRACY OLSON
Pet project
Some critics of the Forest Ridge taking have pointed out Olson lives in the area where the land is located.
Olson, however, said there have been two previous proposals to develop the land, one in 2026 and another in 2016. She was working for the Mystic River Watershed Association when the latter 300 apartment unit project was proposed and ultimately denied.
“I have been concerned about keeping it conservation land for a long time,” Olson said, adding the land is valuable when it comes to Winchester’s tree canopy as well as the wildlife in the area.
“And the town, unbeknownst to me, has been exploring purchasing Forest Ridge for about four or five years,” she continued. “It’s not something new. I come at it as having a great value when it comes to the ecosystem of the parcel as connected to the Fells.”
She said her neighbors have the same concerns, especially when it comes to stormwater management in the area.
So how will Town Meeting vote? Olson declined to speculate.
“With less than a month to Town Meeting, we’re trying to bring information to various boards in town as well as Town Meeting members and the general public,” Olson said. “This isn’t some pet project of mine. This is an asset to the town.”
Olson said ConCom has a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page available for any Town Meeting members who still haven’t made up their mind about Forest Ridge or for residents who want to understand what the fuss is about.
What does Olson want everyone to know?
“There are still some people who think the developer isn’t real,” Olson said. “The developer and interest in Forest Ridge is real. I have listened to and downloaded some sessions they have given in Essex. You can listen on YouTube. So, this is a real developer.
“The land is valuable for this developer and it’s valuable for conservation,” Olson said. “This is a process for the legislative body of Winchester, Massachusetts to decide…about this land and its best use. I hope they agree with us about its conservation.”
Nell Escobar Coakley has been a journalist for more than 30 years. She is co-founder and editor-in-chief of Gotta Know Medford and editor of Winchester News. She can be reached at editor@winchesternews.org.
