The following was submitted to the Planning Board bt Peter Adams on June 22, 2006.
Good evening, my name is Peter Adams and my residence is 481 feet from 517 Winter Street. I know that according to the town, that does not make me an abutter, but I can see the mansion from my back yard, and I consider myself an abutter.
This property looms over and dominates the neighborhood. I highlight the size and impact of the property because the proposed use will affect the quality of life throughout the precinct.
The zoning bylaw changes approved by Town Meeting last August amended section III.A.1.i to read, in part
[for] educational purposes [...] by a nonprofit educational corporation; provided, however, that such land or structure shall be subject to regulations concerning the bulk and height of structures, yard size, lot area, open space, parking, building coverage, and site plan review requirements in accordance with the provisions of this By-law.
The provisions of this by law as pertaining to site plan review are found in section IV.I.1, which states that the purpose of site plan review is
To protect health, safety, convenience and general welfare of the inhabitants of the Town by providing for a review of plans for uses and structures which may have significant impacts on traffic, municipal and public services and utilities, environmental quality, community economics, and community values in the Town.
It would therefore be inconsistent with Town law and the best interests of the Town for the Planning Board to grant a waiver and not require the applicant to submit and defend, in an open public hearing, a landscape plan, a traffic impact assessment, a fiscal impact assessment, and a community impact assessment.
Furthermore, since the Planning Board has clear purview over the uses of a proposed facility, we urge you to closely examine the contract between SMOC, Inc., and the Department of Public Health to determine, in an open public hearing, whether this use in fact qualifies under MGL chapter 40A, section 3 for protection against local zoning.
Thank you very much.
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