Otis — The Annual Town Meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, May 20, 7 p.m., at the Otis Community Hall and Community Center. On the meeting warrant is an article asking residents to appropriate $500,000 in order to purchase the former Otis Poultry Farm property.
As listed by the Middle Berkshire Registry of Deeds, the property is 24.79 acres of land located on 1526 and 1570 North Main Road.
The funds for the purchase, if approved by residents at the town meeting, will be appropriated from the town’s general stabilization fund.
Otis Poultry Farm owners Andy and Lynn Pyenson announced the farm’s shutdown in an April 1 Facebook post after 121 years of operation. “From our family to yours, thank you for your unwavering support over the generations,” the Pyensons wrote in their announcement. “This business has been more than just a place of work—it’s been a legacy, a gathering place, and a cornerstone of our town’s history. We are incredibly grateful to all of our loyal customers, dedicated employees, and the many friends we’ve made along the way. As we close this chapter, we carry forward the values of hard work, dedication, and community that have defined us since day one.”
On April 15, Select Board Chair Gary Thomas and members Larry Southard and Therese Gould all co-signed a letter confirming the town’s intent to acquire the property.
In the letter, the board cites multiple reasons for the town to acquire the property:
- Preserving a long-standing town landmark;
- The protection of an existing public water supply;
- The potential for the land becoming a location for an affordable housing project;
- The potential expansion of multiple community programs including the town’s senior citizen programs, food pantry, and recreational programs; and
- The potential of storage of town-owned vehicles and equipment on the property.
“This is an unplanned acquisition in response [to] the price reduction and identified possibilities and is not in response to a single identified town need for real estate that would follow the regular acquisition process through MGL Ch. 30B Sec 16.,” the Select Board writes in the statement. “This is a unique opportunity and there is not a comparable parcel in town.”
