Minutes Of The Monthly Meeting Of The
Marstons Mills Village Association
____________________________________________________________
Secretary: Ann Trout
Board Of Directors
Present: Al Baker, Linda Edson, Craig Larson, Peter Lavigne, Debbie Lavoie, Donna Lawson, Brian Lobdell, Bill McIntyre, and Ann Trout.
Absent: David Curtis and Robert Trout.
Guests
Emory and Geri Anderson, Janice Barton, Virginia Blumdell, Estelle Cardoza, Debbie Cullen, Colleen Danzinger, Tesse and Alan Fourece(?), Bob Frazee, Kevin Galvin, John and Mary Grady, Catherine and Margaret Haggerty, John Hansen, Jim Hines, Janet Igoe, Dennis and Beverly Leonard, Edward and June Leonard, Richard, MacDonald, Maureen McPhee, Sally Mendes, David Sclilla, Mary and Alfred Sem, Diane and Frank Wellman, Christine Yezudevicz.
Call To Order And Welcoming Remarks
The President called the meeting to order at 7:07 PM.
Minutes Of Last Meeting
The minutes of the last meeting were accepted with the change that Bill McIntyre was not there and the Subcommittee meeting was the 18th, not the 19th.
Treasurer's Report
The Treasurer's report was submitted but not discussed this month.
Correspondence
None.
Public Comment
None.
Town Council Report
Deferred to next month to give more room for the zoning discussion.
Old Business And Announcements
Deferred to next month to give more room for the zoning discussion.
Subcommittee Reports:
Burgess House: The trimming of the foundation plantings is done. Plans continue for barn repairs. Skilled labor has been donated by McShane Construction as part of the settlement of the tree issue, however, we continue to look for donation of materials. The Hearse House is being spiffed up for showing on Father's Day as part of the vintage car celebration..
River Day: May 15th (Sunday). MMVA table volunteers are needed. Linda Edson will bring coffee. The Liberty Hall is participating in a breakfast that day and Al reminds people to pass out their raffle tickets.
Village Day: Sept 11th. Next meeting May 18th. The Run is definite, and plans for the timing are solid.
Membership: Correcting the dollars on the applications. For now will say that the $12 is a “sale” and make further printings for the $15.
Newsletter: No new news.
Scholarship: Two scholarships will be awarded at the June annual meeting.
Local Comprehensive Plan: No new news.
Herring Run: The herring are running. May 23rd will meet for info on a repair/cleaning date for a Sunday in July.
New Business
Invited Speaker: Michael Ford was unable to attend.
Instead Craig Lawson gave a presentation on the proposed zoning change of the area including the White Hen Pantry and surrounding businesses and the adjoining 19 acres of undeveloped land northwest of these buildings (map available). There is a proposal to change the zoning of this area from residential, with exemptions for the existing businesses, to a S&D Service and Distribution District. This zoning is a business zoning with few restrictions (the MMVA secretary has a copy of the actual wording). The Marstons Mills Stop and Shop is located in the same zoning. Most business activities are allowed in this zoning with a minimum one acre lots.
Craig expressed his distress that although the Local Comprehensive Plan (LCP) for Marstons Mills has recently been revised, as no one on the committee was aware the rezoning was planned for the acreage, this was not addressed in the Plan as would have been appropriate. Several people expressed concern that the zoning was so broad, and would bring in traffic and noise. One person asked if the rezoning of this acreage was analogous to the businesses on Flint Street. Craig said no, that these businesses operated on exemptions, rather than a business zoning. Exemptions are granted by the town and, in his opinion, confer a less stable status to the lots. Hence the lots are not worth as much, as they are not guaranteed a right to continue to maintain their business status as the lots change hands. The present status of the area around the White Hen is similar in that the existing businesses were grandfathered in as exemptions to the present zoning scheme because they had preexisting businesses on them when the land was last zoned (a filling station), or qualify as agricultural (the tree farm).
Craig argued that the land near the White Hen will be developed, as the owner wants to develop it, and the land has no outstanding attribute to make it fall into a conservation status. He would like to see it developed under a much more limiting business zoning, with larger lot sizes and strict limits on the types of businesses using it (such as professional offices). He offered the opinion that this could result in actually less traffic and noise than residential zoning, and would be a proactive approach for the community to participate in the decision making involved in the upcoming development plans.
Several at the meeting voiced the opinion that the undeveloped 19 acres should remain residential. It was noted that the burden of further traffic in the area may be an important factor in limiting development. Craig shared that the present owner would prefer to develop it as a business zoning, as the owner perceives it would make more money. The procedure for working with the LCP and Town Councilors, the formation of a committee, and finding locations to debate all this were discussed. The July meeting of the MMVA was suggested as a forum for inviting the Town lawyer to speak, and the June meeting suggested as a time Jackie Etsten of the LCP could speak. It was suggested that the owner be invited to speak to us as well.
Councilor Janice Barton was asked as to the likelihood this land would be taken by the town for the land bank or another type of eminent domain purchase. She feels, it is unlikely, as the funds are low and many other parcels are ahead of it in line.
Kevin Galvin spoke:
He spoke in support of a measure to buy about 26 acres of land to the west of the Mill Pond adjacent to the Hayden Well Fields at the upcoming C-O-MM Fire District Meeting.
The purchase will protect the well fields from adjacent development and protect the ecosystem of the Pond and the Marstons Mills River. While not land directly needed for wells, it will protect the surface waters of the watershed from further pollution and the wildlife dependent on it.
He encouraged those present to come to the meeting to vote for the measure and allocate $375,000 of their funds toward the purchase (with the balance to be made up from the Land Bank and matching funds from the state for the total purchase price of over a million)
Adjournment
The meeting adjourned at 8:45 PM. The next be the Annual Meeting on June 1, 2005.
Have Any Agenda Items For Discussion?
Please contact Ann Trout at 508-420-5740, or any Board member, with new agenda items for discussion.
The MMVA Board Of Directors [term ends]
Craig Larson [2005], President ~ 508-428-9198
Al Baker [2007], Vice President ~ 508-428-2433
Ann Trout [2006], Secretary ~ 508-420-5740
Robert Trout [2005], Treasurer ~ 508-420-5740
Dave Curtis [2006] ~ 508-420-9868
Linda Edson [2005] ~ 508-428-4141
Peter Lavigne [2007] 508-428-0167
Deb Lavoie [2005] ~ 508-428-4515
Donna Lawson [2004] ~ 508-420-9480
Brian Lobdell [2006] ~ 508-428-3682
Bill McIntyre [2007] ~ 508-428-1855
Terms end on the date of the next Annual General Meeting.
Next MMVA Meeting - Tuesday June 1, 2005 at 7:00 pm
At the Burgess House, Route 149
PLEASE PARK IN THE BURGESS HOUSE PARKING LOT NEXT DOOR !
NOT ON THE STREET !