February 2023 — Mugar Update
Progress on the Land Trust’s efforts to support the East Arlington abutters of the Mugar property has been delayed due to prolonged legal proceedings. Attorney Daniel Hill’s discovery work on the abutters’ lawsuit against the Thorndike Place development is being thwarted by the Mugar/Oaktree project team, so he has filed a motion with the court to grant access to the land for proposed hydrological research. No decision has yet been reached.
As noted in the previous Mugar Update in October, the ALT Board has agreed to underwrite some of the costs directly associated with these environmental studies through the Mugar Protection Fund. The analyses and reports will be available for the abutters’ lawsuit and for the Conservation Commission and other Arlington officials to use in future planning for the Mugar property. The goal has been to conduct additional groundwater studies on the site this spring when conditions are optimal for an accurate understanding of flooding and other potential hazards.
In the meantime, The Coalition to Save the Mugar Wetlands continues to promote awareness about the project and has launched a Go Fund Me page to help raise funds to support their legal efforts.
Arlington Land Trust continues to advocate for the permanent protection of the Mugar parcel as conservation land. The site is subject to regular and significant flooding, and is a critical stormwater buffer for the surrounding and downstream neighborhoods of East Arlington.