MARION — Selectmen closed a relatively short list of articles at a Sept. 29 meeting for the town’s Nov. 5 Special Town Meeting, but that wasn’t before residents voiced their concerns over a number of land acquisition articles by the Marion Open Space Acquisition Committee.

Articles five, six, seven and eight deal with the purchase of various land parcels using the town’s land bank fund that come with conservation restrictions as to what can be done with the land. The parcels vary from outright purchases, such as the 33.7 acre Hoff Conservation Restriction, to the .2 acres of land that would be gifted to the town. 

The Hoff Reservation would become the responsibility of the Sippican Lands Trust and would be turned into land that could be used for nature trails. 

Land Trust Treasurer and Board of Health Clerk Dot Brown said it’s “really truly an exceptional property.”

While Brown and MOSAC Chair John Rockwell saw the purchase of the property and obtainment of conservation restrictions as an opportunity, many residents at the meeting questioned what it would mean for raising taxes. 

After being questioned by residents, Rockwell explained that the town would lose the roughly $4,000 in tax revenue that the current land owner pays on it.

But the taxes for a house valued over $500,000 would only go up by $1. 

As another resident also pointed out, a conservation restriction also bars the town from doing anything with the land in terms of development. 

While Brown said it would be hard to even get as little as three houses on the property, Rockwell said a special permit could be obtained to put five houses on the land. 

In the effort of saving time, the debate was tabled for Town Meeting. 

Town Meeting will also vote on whether Marion will leave the Carver Marion Wareham Regional Refuse District after the three towns couldn’t come to an agreement for ceasing operations of the district down to a skeletal form. 

Other notable articles include the approval of $22,000 to repair an engine in one of the Harbormaster’s boats, and the use of $30,276.04 from leftover project funds to restore the exterior and glass of the Town House.

Town Meeting will be held on Nov. 5 (formerly Nov. 9) at 6:45 p.m. at the Old Rochester High School auditorium.