Home Real Estate News Pine Manor To Brookline’s Elected Officials: You Are Not Welcome Here

Pine Manor To Brookline’s Elected Officials: You Are Not Welcome Here

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Yesterday the president of Pine Manor, which sits on some 52 acres of land in Brookline, 7 of which the town is considering taking by eminent domain wrote a letter to the town and residents letting them know that they are still welcome to come to the campus, to use the tennis courts, the library and check out the museum. But town officials? Not welcome.

It is the latest in the sudden public back and forth between the college and the town in the past two weeks, following the release of a letter by the board of selectmen outlining why they are looking into the possibility of taking part of the college property to use as a place to build a ninth elementary school.

The president of Pine Manor College previously told town officials the college was not interested in sectioning off any more property (It sold land to the Patriot’s Tom Brady and sectioned off some land if it needed to sell during a period before the current president came on board). But the town has run up against roadblocks to each of the other options it previously thought viable. Two weeks ago the Board of Selectmen and School Committee voted to explore the possibility of taking the Pine Manor land by eminent domain and bring it to the public, to the surprise of Pine Manor.

The president of the college wrote a letter imploring town officials to reconsider. The following week officials invited him to speak at a public meeting regarding what taking of the land could look like. The following day Pine Manor filed an open meeting law complaint. And then wrote another letter to the town.

The first part of the letter is addressed to residents and neighbors inviting them to come visit the campus. The second part takes a more terse tone with elected officials.

“To the Town Officials of Brookline, this letter shall serve as notice that Town of Brookline officials, employees, and their agents, including professional engineers, surveyors, or others Working for the Town, may not come onto Pine Manor College property for the purpose of testing, excavating, examining, or otherwise inspecting Pine Manor College’s property, without prior written notice and written approval by the President of the College, until further notice. I regret having to take this action, but recent events, of which Town officials are aware, make this action and notice necessary,” reads the letter signed by Tom O’Reilly.

O’Reilly said he sent the letter because at the Tuesday meeting where the unveiling of the potential plans the town mentioned they would need to do the testing.

“Given a hostile seizure has been proposed, the Town cannot be allowed to do this,” said O’Reilly.

The chairman of the Board of Selectmen was not immediately available for comment. We will update.

The full letter:

To the residents of Brookline, our friends and our neighbors:

On behalf of the Pine Manor College Community I want to affirm that all Brookline residents and the Brookline Community at large are welcome to visit and enjoy the Pine Manor College campus. It has always been that way, and it will remain that way. Come, spend time with us in the way you would with any neighbor or friend.

To the Town Officials of Brookline, this letter shall serve as notice that Town of Brookline officials, employees, and their agents, including professional engineers, surveyors, or others Working for the Town, may not come onto Pine Manor College property for the purpose of testing, excavating, examining, or otherwise inspecting Pine Manor College’s property, without prior written notice and written approval by the President of the College, until further notice. I regret having to take this action, but recent events, of which Town officials are aware, make this action and notice necessary.

If you have any questions concerning this notice, please contact me at the College.

Very truly yours,
Tom O’Reilly”