Ag Trust seals 63-acre land deal near Commons

It's a corn field now, but later?

By Tom Killin Dalglish
Posted 4/26/18

LITTLE COMPTON — A major land acquisition, that is likely to have far-reaching consequences for the Town of Little Compton, was agreed to last weekend by the Little Compton Agricultural Conservancy Trust (*the Ag Trust") and Daniel and Fulton Pontes, whose family have owned the parcel for generations.

What is now a working corn field, just yards from town center, could transition in years to come into a passive recreational area — with trails, walking and bike paths — it's up to the Ag Trust.

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

Log in

Register to post events


If you'd like to post an event to our calendar, you can create a free account by clicking here.

Note that free accounts do not have access to our subscriber-only content.

Day pass subscribers

Are you a day pass subscriber who needs to log in? Click here to continue.


Ag Trust seals 63-acre land deal near Commons

It's a corn field now, but later?

Posted

LITTLE COMPTON — A major land acquisition, that is likely to have far-reaching consequences for the Town of Little Compton, was agreed to last weekend by the Little Compton Agricultural Conservancy Trust (*the Ag Trust") and Daniel and Fulton Pontes, whose family have owned the parcel for generations.
What is now a working corn field, just yards from town center, could transition in years to come into a passive recreational area — with trails, walking and bike paths — it's up to the Ag Trust.
"We completed a purchase and sale agreement today," Ag Trust Chairman Bill Richmond announced Saturday. The property involved, he said, consists of two lots, both now vacant, one of about 63 acres and the other a two-acre acre parcel.
The sale price was $2.535 million, he said.
"The Ag. Trust has done an appraisal," Council President Bob Mushen said a few months ago, when the deal was in its infancy. "It's in the town's interest that we acquire it via the Ag Trust, in order to ensure its is not acquired by someone else and developed."
The Pontes' offer was first announced publicly at the Little Compton Town Council meeting of Nov. 2, 2017. The Ag. Trust responded to the offer at its very next meeting, on Dec. 11, 2017, when it met in executive session to discuss "land acquisitions and negotiation." The purchase of the 63 acre property in question was on the agenda.
The deal has been cooking during the five or six months since then.
"Associated with the deal, the Pontes brothers will be making a donation of a 0.6 acre parcel behind Wilbur & McMahon School — a parcel that is part of the 63 acres, but that will be split off," Mr. Richmond said.
"There's nothing in the deal about affordable housing, no," said Mr. Richmond in response to a question. "Once the Ag Trust buys something it can't be developed." [See separate story]
Town Council President Robert Mushen, who briefed the council at an executive session before its meeting last Thursday about the then-pending transaction, and later explained it in public at the meeting that followed, said "we found the deal to be in the town's interest."
"This allows us to take the first step of creating parking off the Commons and retains the ability to use the field for purposes allowed for the land trust," Mr. Mushen said.
The tiny 0.6 acre lot being gifted to the town lies just north of the basketball court, and would be sufficient to park about 40-50 cars, Councilor Gary Mataronas said during the council discussion that followed the deal's announcement.
The Ag Trust is a creature of town government, and created by it, and exists to purchase and hold land in public trust.
As the Trust's website says, "The Ag Trust protects land for the public good, helping to preserve our well water, ensuring the continuation of our agricultural heritage and our scenic vistas, and providing habitat for the plant and animal species that characterize our town."
The 63 acre Pontes property just acquired lies directly north of Town Hall and Wilbur & McMahon School. To the west of the parcel are the headwaters of Dundery Brook and Bumblebee Farm, and to the east are several homes along Willow Avenue.
"The Ag Trust," says its website, "is currently working with its partners on a trails project that would give residents and visitors access to some of Little Compton’s protected land. A trail feasibility study has been completed by a conservation biologist on Bumblebee Farm, a 169-acre parcel located near the headwaters of Dundery Brook, just north of the town center. The town’s land trusts are working together with landowners and funding sources to design a trail system that would give the public access to the very heart of Little Compton."
"Recreation is within the charter of the Ag Trust," Mr. Mushen said at the meeting, "and since they acquired it in fee" — and here various councilors chimed in with possible uses: "bike paths, whiffle ball courts, walking trails" — "those are all acceptable uses," he said. "What is not acceptable is development."
'We're really excited about the opportunity," Mr. Richmond said. "It's an opportunity for the trust and the town — a very unique, a very special property, and we really appreciate the Ponte brothers reaching out to us. We're really thrilled."
"Most immediately, the land will stay in farming," he said. "It is used now as a cornfield to raise corn for Arruda Dairy in Tiverton, and we plan to continue that."
Mr. Richmond said there were plans in the works to celebrate the purchase "one way or another."
The Pontes property deal is one of several recently negotiated by the Ag Trust. "The purchase of a 23 acre lot at 450 West Main Road, just south of Meeting House Lane, closed a week ago," said Mr. Richmond on Saturday. "It's a mixture of pasture for livestock and a section of the Dundery Brook watershed."
"We're also trying to work out a trail project for a 10 acre piece of woodland on the east side of the south end of John Dyer Road," he said.
Why the property became available now, after so many years of proximity to Little Compton's town center, is part of the mythology about the parcel.
A few months ago, Mr. Richmond attempted an answer to that question.
For reasons that are not clear, he said, the Pontes brothers' mother, Clara Pontes, years ago became upset with the town, and took the possibility of selling the land to the town "off the table — for many, many years, for decades."
"The current owners have their own goals," he said.
Ray Holland, the lawyer representing Daniel Pontes and Fulton Pontes, could not be reached for comment.

2024 by East Bay Media Group

Barrington · Bristol · East Providence · Little Compton · Portsmouth · Tiverton · Warren · Westport
Meet our staff
MIKE REGO

Mike Rego has worked at East Bay Newspapers since 2001, helping the company launch The Westport Shorelines. He soon after became a Sports Editor, spending the next 10-plus years in that role before taking over as editor of The East Providence Post in February of 2012. To contact Mike about The Post or to submit information, suggest story ideas or photo opportunities, etc. in East Providence, email mrego@eastbaymediagroup.com.