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CAMPAIGN TO PRESERVE THE FELLS

Important "Langwood Commons" Update here.


Simpson Housing hires Big Dig lobbyists
 
According to records obtained from the office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth Simpson Housing company spent more than $60,000 for lobbyists in 2005 and 2006.
 
Simpson Housing is attempting to obtain approval from the state to construct 450 housing units at the former hospital site surrounded by the Middlesex Fells Reservation.
 
The report shows that Simpson paid almost $30,000 to Holland & Knight lobbyists for work related to Stoneham real estate development. An additional $31,500 was spent by the developer to O’Neill & Associates in part to “foster relationships in districts where Simpson Housing Limited Partnership proposed developments.”
 
The Simpson contract with O’Neill also included paying for lobbying efforts to influence passage of new legislation designed to protect Massachusetts’ historic parkways.  This house bill was overwhelmingly approved for passage by the legislature by the Joint Committee on Environment only to get buried in the House Ways & Means office.



Fells Protection Campaign Continues

An important part of the mission of the Friends of the Fells is to advocate for the protection of the Reservation by enlisting public support and partnering with other local conservation groups. The Friends encourage active support to help us protect and preserve this precious resource and we hope you will become active at whatever level of interest you choose.

The Friends have worked for more than six years to contest the Stoneham Executive Center and now the "Langwood Commons" development and other intrusions into the Fells. We have solicited community (and your) support, retained legal and technical experts and presented our case to the media and the courts.

In these six years the Massachusetts Environmental Affairs Office has ruled four times that the developers must reduce the scale of the project at the old hospital site to prevent damage to the park, historic parkways and our communities.  This is due in large part to the more than 4,000 comment letters sent in by citizens saying 'no!' to big development in the Fells.  To learn more or to help this effort call 781-662-2340 or email friends@fells.org






      Boston Regional Medical Center  1998




"Langwood Commons" housing project proposal
Such a huge development project would destroy the beauty of the Fells and create unacceptable environmental impacts to our park and historic parkways. 

Please join in our coninued efforts to ensure that only responsible development occurs at the old hospital site across from Spot Pond.

HOME DEPOT
Bulletin:
No permit from Stoneham Conservation Commission

On January 25, 2007 the Stoneham Conservation Commission found itself deadlocked and thus did not issue a permit to allow the Stoneham Super Home Depot project  (which also includes an office building on the site) to proceed.

At issue was the Town of Stoneham’s Wetlands Protection ByLaw, Chapter 11 of the Town Code, which offers greater protection than the MA Wetlands Protection Act (WPA).  The vote on the ByLaw was a 3 – 3 tie which means that technically the Commission took no action on the Project application even though they did rule that the Project met all the conditions of the Wetlands Protection Act itself.

The bottom line then is that the ruling is the same as a denial because work on the Project cannot proceed until the Conservation Commission issues both the WPA and ByLaw permits.

The applicant can appeal within 60 days to Superior Court to seek a remedy, such as to ask the court to force the Conservation Commission to issue an approval.  Until the applicant has a bylaw approval, it cannot conduct work within 100 feet of any wetland or stream on the property.
 
Super Home Depot  Project - Bad for the Fells, Bad for our Communities:

The Richmond Company has submitted plans for a huge Home Depot store and office building on a site of land near the foot of the Fells Reservation's Bear Hill. Here is a uesful map and a flyer for distribution. Below is a letter to the state Environmental Affairs office from Stoneham residents who lives near the site.  The Environmental Affairs Secretary subsequently ruled that the project must undergo a complete environmental review process.

Secretary Stephen R. Pritchard and Holly Johnson
EOEA MEPA Office
100 Cambridge Street, Suite 900
Boston, MA 02144
RE: Case # 13836 Stoneham, Crossing Retail and Office Redevelopment Project.

Dear Mr. Prichard and Ms. Johnson,

I have read the ENF notification submitted to you by the Richmond Company concerning the construction of a Home Depot on Fallon Road, I have a number of concerns about this project and respectively request your consideration:

1.    There is a good amount of land disturbance included in the proposed project on this 16.2 acre parcel of land. This disturbance includes destruction of wetlands in the area. Flooding in this area and surrounding neighborhoods is already an issue. Allowing the wetlands to be filled in this area, and the addition of 4.9 impervious acres will compound this problem. Also, there should be further studies to determine what endangered species inhabit the wetland areas and adjacent woodlands. In addition to the filling of wetlands, the size of the parking lot and roof area are of great concern with respect to storm water run off. There is also a question as to whether or not the abutting stream runs into a drinking water source.
2.    This land is adjacent to the Middlesex Fells Reservation. There are many species of animals and plant life there that will be adversely affected by this project. The project is also encroaching upon the 25 foot no disturb zone set forth by the town’s bylaws.
3.    The deforestation of the area will cause considerable noise pollution as the area is adjacent to Rt. 93. There are also many mature trees on the current property that the developer plans to eliminate. Currently, the noise from the highway is hardly bearable for the neighboring residents. Placing this development here, will only compound that problem for the residents as well as animal inhabitants of the Fells Reservation. Noise sources emanating for the site will include fork lifts, trucking, loading, power equipment, generators, highway noise, PA systems etc…
4.    Traffic in this area of town is already at a maximum capacity. This area is used as a cut through for Melrose, Winchester and Stoneham residents to access Rt. 93. There is another devolvement planned nearby as well and that traffic combined with the over 3,000 car trips the developer indicates this will draw will be overwhelming and essentially gridlock this portion of town. The intersections of Main Street and North Border Road - Park Street and Fallon Road - Marble Street and Park Street are all of great concern. Also, Trucking is not allowed on Park Street and North Border Road so access to 93 south would need to be made by having trucks take 93 north and doing a turn around on Montvale Ave. The intersections at Montvale Ave will also need considerable study with the number of contractor trucks, delivery trucks, 18 and 10 wheelers taking that route.
5.    The developer has proposed road widening at the intersection of Park Street and Fallon Road, this intersection connects to a DCR road called North Boarder Road. This road is used by the nearby neighborhoods to access many DCR activities by foot including, the Fells Reservation, The DCR Swimming Pool, Stone Zoo and Spot Pond Boating. If the road widening and new slip ramp to 93 north is allowed, these tree lined side-walked streets will be impassable for pedestrians and the noise and speeding dangers will be unbearable for the many people who walk this area. The proposed road widening will also require wetland destruction which I have not yet seen mentioned by the developer. The developer should be made to present ALL impacts of this project including those impacts for the road widening.
6.    Additional Pollution is also of great concern. With the proximity to the Fells Reservation, the number of vehicles and a great deal of trucking will cause a substantial decrease in air quality for the area. This area has great conservation and recreational value for our town and surrounding towns, reducing air quality in this area is a public health concern.
7.    The increase in lighting for this development will have a negative impact on the neighborhood and the animal inhabitants of the Fells Reservation including many species of birds which are particularly sensitive to lighting.
8.    I also think the Visual Aspects of this project need to be looked into. Given this is a gateway to our community, as well as to some of the Commonwealth’s most valued recreational land, the design of the development should be approached with considerable care. The “orange box” building proposed would be an eyesore as a gateway to this area.
9.    The construction process in this area, including 20 days of blasting to remove rock outcrops would have a detrimental effect on plant life and species inhabiting the Fells Reservation.

With the number of issues it’s completely ludicrous that the developer has requested a single EIR. I respectfully request that the project be made to undergo a complete EIR process.

Sincerely,

Ellen and John Sharpe
Stoneham

Image by Eric Beacom

DUNKIN' DONUTS: IMPACTS IGNORED  

At an October, 10th hearing Stoneham Selectmen ignored evidence of a potential  traffic nightmare and approved plans for a Dunkin’ Donuts at the gas station site located just north of Grimsby’s restaurant on Lynn Fells Parkway.

Area residents spoke out against encouraging even more traffic in the area which today sees vehicles stretching from Stoneham into Melrose during morning commutes.  The Board was not interested in these comments, and similarly dismissed a detailed 21 page traffic analysis submitted by the Friends of the Fells which had been prepared by Stephen Kaiser, former traffic engineer for the state environmental affairs office.

In this report Dr. Kaiser showed that the it would be impossible to crowd over a hundred cars per hour into the site without creating a “classis gridlock situation”  due to the congested nature of the location. 

The Board paid little attention and gave the developer what he wanted.

Next the Dunkin’ Donuts project will be seeking permits from the Stoneham Conservation Commision where the argument will be made that there will be no potential project impacts to wetlands in the Fells – a pubic hearing will be scheduled.

In addition, an Environmental Notification Form must be filed for the project with the state Environmental Affairs Office followed by a public comment period.  If an Environmental Impact Report is required there will be yet another opportunity for public comments.

And, without approval for widening of the historic parkway as well as obtaining permits for curb cuts and utility access from the Department of Conservation and Recreation the project will be dead in its tracks.

We will keep you posted and let you know how to let your views be known.





How YOU can help today!

1. Keep informed by adding your name to our e-mail list -- CLICK HERE and type "subscribe" as the subject.

2. Volunteer - we'll need volunteers during the next Environmental Review comment period on the former hospital site project. This will be short-term, concentrated work, but absolutely critical to our efforts to save the Fells! 

To volunteer for our defense initiatives send us an e-mail at friends@fells.org or call 781-662-2340 and leave a message.

 

3. Contribute to the Fells Protection Fund - we have a great cause, but our efforts cost money, and lots of it!  Please support us!

For a Donation Form to fill out and mail to the Friends: CLICK HERE