LYNNFIELD — A proposed housing development on the property of the Sagamore Spring Golf Club has received the support of the Select Board.
The proposal consists of 66 detached, over-55 units on undeveloped acreage adjacent to the first and second fairways of the golf course.
“I like the plan,” said Select Board Chair Philip Crawford. “I think it’s a much needed development in this type of town where we don’t have much over 55 housing and certainly a demand for it, which was evident the first time it was brought forward. I think it would be a tremendous development.”
“I just think that the development, at this point, has come a long way… for the town’s benefit and for yours so I’d really like to compliment everybody involved in the negotiations,” said Select Board member Richard Dalton. “I think it’s something that I will strongly support at this point.”
“It’s great to see the design of it,” said board Vice Chair Joe Connell.
Richard Luff, a trustee with the Sagamore Spring Real Estate Trust, said his family has owned and operated Sagamore Spring Golf Club since 1929, but have been looking at numerous options to create more liquidity for family shareholders.
“As with many family businesses, it has been a labor of love but many highs and lows. We have 18 different family shareholders dispersed throughout the country, many with little or no ties to the golf course. Monetizing in order to unlock some of the shareholder value in the land is inevitable,” Luff said. “The consensus has been to strike a balance between development and continuing to operate a healthy, vibrant and profitable operation where we can carry out our responsibilities to our customers, employees, shareholders and our community.”
The units will be approximately 1,800 to 2,900 square feet and separated from one another by about 12 feet, in order to fit them on the plot.
The proposed development will also include a clubhouse, approximately 2,200 square feet, with a pool and outdoor amenities.
There will also be a community septic and an agreement to provide water through the Lynnfield Center Water District. The arrangement with LCWD is subject to approval at LCWD’s special meeting on Oct. 20.
In regards to pricing, a representative from the Toll Brothers company working with the trust on the development said units will be sold at market rate, which is currently north of $1 million in Lynnfield.
In 2018, the Sagamore Spring Real Estate Trust first sought to develop a similar project on their land, but with 154 attached units that would have lined all of the fairways on the front side of the property. Residents, however, raised numerous concerns about water, traffic, and the development’s significant size.
This new proposal, Luff said, addresses these concerns. The proposed project is less than half the size, with 66 units compared to 154, only taking up 36 of the 168 acres owned by the trust.
The traffic concerns are decreased with 88 less units proposed than before, and Luff said the trust thinks a reasonable solution can be achieved regarding water by working in partnership with the Lynnfield Center Water District.
“Surely the success of this project is meaningful to our family. But we believe that true success… can’t be one-sided,” Luff said. “To achieve an outcome where everyone can benefit is hard work.”
While Sagamore Spring will remain an 18-hole golf course, Luff said additional undeveloped acreage on the west side on the main street will be “donated to the town to further protect water resources and will enhance passive recreation by integrating trail systems and help the town achieve larger land preservation goals.”
This proposed over-55 development will also generate tax income for the town annually.
Allysha Dunnigan can be reached at Adunnigan@itemlive.com
