Open Space Committee approves 2025 annual report, tackles Whispering Woods ownership puzzle.
Stow Open Space Committee approves 2025 annual report and tackles Whispering Woods ownership puzzle. The committee voted unanimously to accept the report, with Chair Bill Maxfield tasked with filing the final version. On Whispering Woods, members identified a complex ownership tangle dating to 1999
Open Space Committee · Meeting of February 18, 2026
Stow Open Space Committee approves 2025 annual report and tackles Whispering Woods ownership puzzle. The committee voted unanimously to accept the report, with Chair Bill Maxfield tasked with filing the final version. On Whispering Woods, members identified a complex ownership tangle dating to 1999 when a developer created a homeowners association that was never transferred to town control; the HOA dissolved in 2007 but assessors and ownership records remain muddled.
Committee member Kathy Sferra will consult Planning, Conservation, and town counsel to clarify title; developer Glenn Burger has offered to deed the parcel to Stow. The committee also advanced planning for agricultural worker housing, exploring Community Land Trust models to preserve affordability.
In the full story:
- The complete report — 310 words
Source: the Open Space Committee meeting of February 18, 2026, compiled from the official minutes.
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