Twenty-six Massachusetts towns are now calling for the Appeals Court to reverse the Land Court’s Estabrook ruling.
North Andover filed an amicus curiae (friend of the court) brief asking for the Estabrook ruling to be reversed. Franklin County, representing 25 additional towns, has joined North Andover’s amicus brief.
Even the Town of Concord is not happy with the Land Court’s decision. Town Manager Kerry Lafleur has written to Estabrook defendants asking them to “close and lock the [Estabrook] gate on an ongoing and continual basis” to “ensure that motorized vehicles do not have access to the trail.”
However, acting on Lafleur’s request would amount to acting in contempt of the Land Court’s Judgment, which “permanently enjoins… gating… Estabrook Road.” The road through the woods to Carlisle must therefore remain open to motor vehicle traffic, consistent with Town Counsel’s request to the Land Court.
Concord taxpayers have paid more than $1.6 million to fund the lawsuit. Would The Concord Bridge please consider publishing an article to more fully communicate these important developments to citizens of Concord?
Brooks Read
Susannah Kay MD
Estabrook Road
