The city wants to acquire the parcel for affordable housing and open space, but it needs more time to put together a proposal. Jennifer Goldson, Community Preservation Planner for Newton, tells GlobeSt.com that the city contacted the state's attorney general and requested the deadline extension. Bids were originally due by February 21.
"This gives us time to get an appraisal on the land and see what kind of development can be held on the site in combination with preserving it," says Goldson, adding that the city plans to issue a request for proposals to partner with a private developer to buy the site together.
The city plans to purchase the property with funds from the Community Preservation Act, which is a property tax that each city or town agrees to accept as a means to preserve open space or historical site preservation.
"We are looking for creative proposals," she says. "We want to preserve as much space as possible but we know we can't preserve it all. We are looking to the private sector to come up with some ideas."
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