Panel OKs Fernald Golf Course Over Missing Deed Restriction

Conservation Commission · Meeting of July 16, 2026

WALTHAM — The Waltham Conservation Commission approved a nine-hole golf course at the former Fernald School site despite a conservation restriction left unfiled for roughly 12 years. The commission voted 5-0 to issue an order of conditions for the Recreation Department's pitch-and-putt project at 200 Trapelo Road, after engineer David LaPointe of Beals and Thomas described a redesign that cuts parking to 19 spaces and removes seven trees while adding 15 replacements plus 23 more. Member Anja Shafer asked why the restriction, required under the Community Preservation Act purchase, "is not going to be filed ahead of the construction." Chair Bill Doyle said the city previously won a legal fight over the issue: "We tried to stop it before for that reason." The commission conditioned approval on written documentation of that legal basis.

Separately, the board approved a Brandeis University walkway renovation 4-0, with Doyle abstaining, and issued a certificate of compliance for a completed MBTA-area rail trail segment near Jones Road.

In the full story:

• Development Prospectus: 96 Tower Road
• Request for Determination of Applicability, Continued: 153 Second Ave
• Certificate of Compliance: DEP File 316-0818, Jones Road Shared-Use Path
• Notice of Intent, DEP File 316-0854: Fernald School Golf Course, 200 Trapelo Road
• Request for Determination of Applicability: Brandeis University, 415 South Street
• Commission Business
• Correspondence, Committee Reports and New Business
• Who Was There
• Organizations And Documents Referenced
• The complete report: 2,569 words

Source: the Conservation Commission meeting of July 16, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.

Checked against the record: before publication this article was automatically compared with the meeting transcript.