On July 3 the Clinton Town Council unanimously voted to authorize the payment of $6,275 to support the evaluation of 23 acres of forest land on Killingworth Turnpike for potential purchase by the Clinton Land Conservation Trust (CLCT).

The money will come from the town’s open space acquisition fund which has a current balance of $28,231.94 following the approved request.

During the council’s meeting on July 3, CLCT president Nick Webb presented to the council about the trust’s plan to purchase the property between Hemlock Hill Road and North of Evergreen Springs. Webb said the land is currently owned by a family trust.

In a memo to the council, Webb wrote that the CLCT plans to apply for a Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) grant in the fall to fund the property purchase. However, to apply for the grant, the CLCT needs to prepare documents, including “an appraisal, an appraisal review, an updated property survey, a Phase I environmental review, and title certification,” per the memo.

The cost of that work is $21,675. The council previously awarded $3,000 to the CLCT for appraisal work, and the trust has been awarded $12,400 from the Connecticut Land Conservation Council’s Transaction Assistance Grant Fund to pay for the rest of the pre-acquisition work. Webb said the intent is to apply for the grant in September.

In his memo and at the meeting, Webb described what was unique about the property that made the land trust interested in purchasing it.

“The property contributes to a large forested block that includes 130 acres of protected open space, 122 of which are owned by the Clinton Land Trust, and an additional 26 acres of land owned by Eversource that may support connected trails. The Indian River, a class A water body, flows through the southwest corner of the property. Land Trust members have found unique hilltop environments, including native grasses not seen on other open space properties in Clinton,” the memo states.

Webb called the property “unique” and that with the addition of the new land there would be about 135 acres of continuous open space in town.

Webb said that if everything goes according to plan, the CLCT will target an August 2025 purchase date for the property.