Town officials in Bolton are supporting the proposed sale of land currently owned by a ski resort to the Vermont Land Trust.
At a recent select board meeting, the Vermont Land Trust said it is interested in purchasing more than 1,100 acres of land – some of which is used for cross country skiing – from Bolton Valley Resort.
Gil Livingston, the executive director of the Land Trust, told Bolton’s Select Board that an $800,000 grant that could offset the purchase is currently available through the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board.
Ron Lafreniere, chairman of the Bolton Select Board, says the town backs the deal because the land would likely remain as backcountry trails accessible to the public, and the town would not lose much tax revenue. "We met with Commissioner of Forest and Parks and the Land Trust and Vermont Housing Board together, with assurances that there would be in the future planning of this property a representative from the town of Bolton to keep our interest," Lafreniere says.
The Trust doesn’t intend to keep ownership. It might try to hand the land over to the state.
Forests Commissioner Mike Snyder supports the purchase, but would like more input from the community. He says this land would be a great addition to the existing state forests.