Berlin Land Trust, Inc. and Town of Berlin To Purchase Open Space

The Town of Berlin and the Berlin Land Trust, Inc. are working to acquire two parcels on Chamberlain Highway from the Chotkowski Family.

"The Town has been actively working on connecting Berlin open space areas and making them more accessible to the public including the acquisition of over 750 acres of land since 2005," Salina said. "The Chotkowski properties abut the town owned Hatchery Brook Conservation Area and Bicentennial Park and they are the missing link to connect these open space areas to span the block from Orchard Road to Norton Road.

"These properties have long been in our minds for protection so it is fortunate that the Town and Berlin Land Trust maintained an active dialogue with the Chotkowski family that culminated in a contract to purchase the properties. The acquisition of the properties will be another major step forward in Berlin’s open space preservation program and it will provide for an ideal expansion of hiking trails in the block.

"While the details of the property purchase plan are still being finalized, it is anticipated that approximately 71 acres of the 94 acre site will be preserved as open space."

The Town Council will be discussing this project at its meeting tonight to start the process to accept the assignment of the purchase contract from the Berlin Land Trust and to authorize staff to apply for an Open Space and Watershed Acquisition Program Grant from the State of Connecticut to help fund the acquisition.

Commenting on the potential acquisition Berlin Land Trust President Dennis Kern said, "This acquisition will complete the linkage of open space properties in the block bounded by Chamberlain Highway, Orchard Road, Norton Road and Kensington Road. It will be the culmination of years of effort, investment and collaboration between the State of Connecticut, Town of Berlin and Berlin Land Trust.

"The Land Trust has a contract to buy the two Chotkowski Family properties and it will assign the rights to the Town of Berlin to acquire most of the site for open space use. We are still developing plans for the front portion of the properties including two houses and several barns and out buildings that may be sold to offset a portion of the purchase price. We thank the Chotkowski Family for working with the Land Trust and the Town to preserve this important property."