At its May 15 meeting, the Board of Selectmen unanimously approved the acceptance of eight parcels of land totaling 1.85 acres to be used as open space. All parcels were being offered in lieu of owners fulfilling local property tax obligations.

Land Use Director Rob Sibley said the practice of accepting land in lieu of taxation is an “annual or biannual” thing that the town has been doing for “almost 20 years.” He said while each acquisition might be relatively small, it has “added up to hundreds of acres of open space.”

Most of the land is being acquired from people who themselves acquired the land through an estate, Sibley said, and many live out of town. The goal is to try and tie newly acquired properties to open space the town already owns, such as a large parcel along Lake Zoar acquired in 2009, another parcel acquired from the Bridgeport Diocese on Ridgefield Road, and 18 acres acquired on Great Quarter Road.

The first parcel — a .25 acre piece off Basswood Trail — is comprised of mature woodland, according to documents provided by Sibley. The parcel will alleviate $765.52 in back property taxes.

Six additional parcels in the area of Great Quarter Trail, Laurel Trail, and Maplewood Trail, totaling 1.125 acres, make up the next lot donated. Sibley said the property is comprised of steep slopes and mature woodlands. One quarter acre parcel is a “paper trail in the middle of the woods,” said Sibley, and adds to the town-owned property at 89 Laurel Trail.

The parcels will forgive $161.51 in back property taxes.

“They fit the patchwork on Great Quarter Trail and Mountain Laurel Trail,” said Sibley.

The last parcel, a half acre at 79 Laurel Trail, is comprised of steep slopes and mature woodlands. There are no back taxes owed on that parcel.

All properties received approval from the Planning & Zoning Commission for consistency with the Newtown Plan of Conservation and Development in February. All parcels were recommended for acceptance by the Conservation Commission in October 2022 with emphasis on the protection of passive recreation and potential linkage to other protected lands.

Sibley said when the town started the program, it was a “way to show people there are multiple ways to do land transfers for open space, such as donations or in-kind services.” The open space program will be handed over from Sibley to new Deputy Land Use Director Steve Maguire, who will “carry on the legacy of preservation.”

Associate Editor Jim Taylor can be reached at jim@thebee.com.