Project Background
Since 2019 the Hale Partnership Task Force has endeavored to respond to Hale Education’s (f/k/a Hale Reservation) offer to Dover to purchase a Conservation Restriction (CR) on 663+ acres in Dover. The HPTF and Hale Education paused their efforts in early 2020 resultant of the COVID-19 pandemic. None of the reservation land is currently protected from development. The Task Force procured appraisal services from T.H. Reenstierna to complete appraisals of the value of the land both with a conservation restriction and without (market rate). The appraiser determined the value of the land unrestricted from development is worth upwards of $35m. The land with a CR is worth $15m -- therefore the value of the Conservation Restriction is appraised at $20m. Hale Education is offering a CR on their land for $10m.
Strategic Planning to Date
The Hale Partnership Task Force has endeavored to review a variety of scenarios, including those that contemplate the Town purchasing portions of some land in fee sample and reserving it for future municipal use, purchasing land and reselling it for residential use, or purchasing a Conservation Restriction, or some combination thereof. The Hale Partnership Task Force has been reviewing a Conservation Restriction, zoned for two layers of conservation uses (passive & camp) on the unrestricted reservation land located in Dover.
Negotiations between the Town of Dover and Hale Education are ongoing and a final deal has not yet been reached.