Richmond Board Approves BNRC Parking Permits, Defers Expansion at Perry's Peak Road

RICHMOND -- November 4, 2020, Richmond Select Board votes 3-0 twice on BNRC Hollow Fields parking, deferring full expansion. The board first ratified the existing gravel parking area at the Berkshire Natural Resources Council's Hollow Fields trailhead on Perry's Peak Road, cleaning up paperwork for a lot in use for years without a formal driveway permit, then approved a separate 60-day conditional overflow permit limiting temporary parking to no closer than 50 feet from the abutting Caligari property line, with no new gravel surface allowed. Both votes were unanimous. Neighbors including Jeff Morris and Jamie Grossman testified at length about traffic damage, road deterioration, and a $8,000 town road-repair bill attributed in part to reserve traffic, while BNRC's Narayan Schroeder argued the reserve's more than 450 acres warranted a lot sized for 10 to 15 cars to pull vehicles off the road. The 60-day permit expires December 31, 2020, requiring the board to revisit the full expansion request before the spring season.