South Chatham Land Could Be Used For Cemetery Expansion Or Housing

CHATHAM – Town officials have expressed interest in acquiring more than two acres of open land off Pleasant Street.

A placeholder article has been included in the May 13 annual town meeting warrant in case officials are able to reach an agreement with the property owners.

The land at 0 Pleasant St. is owned by the Allen C. Crocker Revocable Trust. The parcel runs between Pleasant Street and the South Chatham Cemetery, and there have been discussions about acquiring it both for expansion of the cemetery and for affordable housing.

But town officials say it’s too soon to say what purpose the land would be used for or even if the town will move forward with purchasing it.

“It’s still too preliminary,” Community Development Director Kathleen Donovan said in an email. “While those may be considerations, no decisions have been made at this point.”

Donovan and Town Manager Jill Goldsmith had preliminary discussions with representatives of the estate to relate the town’s interest, but the property has not been offered to the town at this time, Donovan said. “A placeholder article was included in the ATM warrant in the event that does happen and a successful deal is negotiated,” she added.

“They don’t really have an answer for us yet,” Goldsmith told the select board last week regarding the discussions with the family.

Cemetery Commission Chair David Whitcomb said the land was identified a dozen or so years ago by the late George Goodspeed, who was a longtime member of the commission, as a possible location for expansion of the South Chatham Cemetery.

“It didn’t go anywhere,” Whitcomb said.

In December members of the commission expressed interest in the property for future expansion of the cemetery. It could also provide a second access road into the cemetery, which is now only accessible from Route 28. The commission has also discussed setting aside space in South Chatham where green burials could be allowed, and having extra land to do so would be beneficial, Whitcomb said.

“It would be really good to have that as a possibility for cemetery expansion in the future,” he said.

It’s possible the land could be used both for affordable housing and cemetery expansion, said select board member Jeff Dykens, but it’s too soon to make a determination. “More to come,” he said in an email.

If no agreement can be reached before the May 13 annual town meeting, no action will be taken on the article.

The parcel contains 98,981 square feet, according to assessing records. It is currently assessed at $471,200. Dr. Allen C. Crocker, whose children assessing records list as trustees, was a pediatrician and longtime member of the May Institute board of directors. He died in 2011.