Few places in Charlestown are as fun to say as ‘Nanny Goat Hill’ – the steep non-building lots going down from Russell and Mead Streets – and now some lucky abutters might be able to not just say the name, but also own the property.
Nanny Goat Hill harkens back to the days when Charlestown was more pastoral and more of a farming community. The hill at the top of Russell Street got its name from goats, apparently, that used to graze on the grass above. Those days are long gone, but the Hill remains as it always was due to the fact it’s too steep and rugged to support any buildings.
However, the Boston Planning and Development Agency (BPDA) has owned them for years, and now is finally looking to put them up for sale – something that is on the agenda for the BPDA Board’s meeting Thursday, Oct. 15. They are to be sold, if approved, under the Abutters Parcels Program that is up for another round of sales, focusing on 26 properties citywide.
“The parcels included in Group 1 are located on a steep, wooded and brush-covered, landlocked hillside off of Mead Street in Charlestown, known as Nanny Goat Hill,” read the BPDA memo. “Previous community engagement efforts have confirmed that the community prefers that these parcels remain open space. On September 21, 2020, BPDA staff hosted a virtual meeting via Zoom for abutters of Group 1. Eleven abutters attended, representing the eight separate properties surrounding Group 1. Several expressed interest in applying for the parcels when Program applications are made available for Group 1. Shortly after today’s pending board approval, staff will make Program applications available to all direct abutters for 60 days. After evaluating the applications received, staff will return to the BPDA Board to obtain approval to convey individual parcels to eligible abutters, according to Program guidelines.”
The lots include:
•Parcel 16A – Russell Street – 6,899 sq. ft.
•Parcel 16C – Russell Street – 1,406 sq. ft.
•Parcel 16B/1 – Russell Street – 1,650 sq. ft.
•Parcel 16B/2 – Eagle Pass – 1,474 sq. ft.
The BPDA tried to initiate a sale about three or four years ago of the Nanny Goat Hill parcels, but it didn’t go through fully. Now, to initiate the sale, there will have to be approval of a minor modification to the Urban Renewal Plan, and then a public RFP process for abutters. The price will be determined by square footage.