TGN Petition targets proposed treatment facility

3/25/2013 6:39:00 AM Petition targets proposed treatment facility Town residents continue to voice concerns over McLean Hospital's proposed project

Mark Haranas News Staff Writer TEMPLETON — Residents along Baldwinville Road are trying to halt a proposed treatment facility from coming to their neighborhood, filing a citizens petition that is likely to be voted on at the May Annual Town Meeting. “This is about the safety of the 30 to 50 kids that live and play near where this treatment facility is looking to move in,” said Dana Quinones, a resident of Sunrise Drive whose property abuts the proposed facility’s site at 676 Baldwinville Road. “There’s a school bus stop right on the corner, Baldwinville (Elementary) School is right down the street ... There’s a licensed day care on this street, and there’s going to be a treatment facility taking care of people with substance problems right in the middle of our neighborhood? It’s concerning everyone around here.” In November, the Belmont-based nonprofit McLean Hospital first proposed a 22-patient facility at the corner of Sunrise Drive and Baldwinville Road to serve patients in the latter stages of recovery from substance abuse and psychological issues. On Feb. 26, a hearing on the facility scheduled to take place in the town offices at 690 Patriots Road was postponed due to an overflow of people. The hearing was rescheduled, and then was again pushed back until April 9 at Narragansett Regional High School’s KIVA conference room because of weather. Ms. Quinones gathered enough signatures from neighbors, residents and town officials to file a petition seeking several changes to local bylaws that would restrict such a facility from moving into the neighborhood. “We want a bylaw that will protect day cares and schools,” said John Butts, another resident of Sunrise Drive. “We want individuals who are at the treatment facility to have CORI checks and give that information to the (Templeton) Police Department.” The petition is seeking to restrict such a facility from being located within 5,000 feet of any school building or licensed day care. It also would require that individuals at a substance rehabilitation facility for more than 48 hours undergo and pass a criminal background check, which the hospital currently does not conduct on patients. The town clerk’s office has certified the citizens petition, although the language will likely be reworked before heading for a town meeting vote in May. “We’re not against treatment facilities in town,” said Rachel Messina, who lives near the proposed site and helped write the petition. “This is just the wrong place to put it. They can find some place in town where they don’t need to use the Dover Amendment.” Chapter 40A, Section 3 of Massachusetts General Law — commonly known as the Dover Amendment — exempts agricultural, religious or educational nonprofit organizations from certain zoning restrictions. It allows such entities to bypass local zoning to build or expand a facility to provide the needed services. The primary or dominant purpose of the facility must be educational, a criteria McLean Hospital has been deemed to meet. McLean officials have provided information regarding their positive track record with facilities in communities around the state, including two in Princeton and Ashburnham. Police officials and assessors from Princeton and Ashburnham report they have not encountered significant safety problems or concerns with either treatment facility in their communities over the years, and say property values have not diminished in neighborhoods where the facilities are located. Leominster-based engineering firm Whitman & Bingham Associates conducted a site plan review of the proposed facility that did not result in significant issues with the project. Residents are continuing to express concerns about the facility, such as having an designated smoking area outside as well as traffic issues in their neighborhood. “Second-hand smoke kills,” said Mr. Butts. “We’re also going to be having kids running around with more traffic here and big vehicles coming in like dump trucks, emergency vehicles (and) a bus that shuttles patients between their Belmont main campus and Templeton ... This will change the character of this neighborhood forever.” Ms. Quinones said both the designated smoking area and Dumpster at the proposed treatment facility will be within 50 feet of her property and where her children currently play. Opponents of the facility have been going door-to-door talking to residents about the project. “People think this is a done deal — it’s not,” said Ms. Messina.