Should Town Buy Solar Farm Land?

Should Westborough seek to buy the land planned for a solar project at Harvey’s Farm?

Westborough’s Open Space Committee will discuss this issue at 7:30 tonight in Forbes Municipal Building Room 23.

Town Manager Jim Malloy told selectmen Tuesday night he asked the committee to review the matter and report back in time for the Jan. 22 selectmen’s meeting.

Harvey’s Farm seeks to remove from Massachusetts Chapter 61A (agricultural) status the land the solar project will occupy, Malloy said.

Westborough has the right of first refusal to “acquire the property for fair market value,” he said, “even though they’re not selling it.”

The process is spelled out here.

However, the land is “in the middle of Harvey’s Farm, so I don’t think it’s very likely that we’re going to want to exercise this option, because we wouldn’t have access to it,” Malloy said.