Save the Date! Save the Town!
September 13, 2016
On Tuesday night, the Planning Board voted 4-3 in favor of reopening the public hearing process regarding the elementary school in Templeton Center.
The public hearing will be on September 13, 2016 at 6:30 pm.
So in order to avoid a costly delay for the elementary school project, here's a thought-
Many of the issues of siting the elementary school at Templeton Center concern the traffic and parking problems and their attendant safety issues for the children. Why not do an experiment?
Take 100 cars ( 50 for staff and 50 for parent drop off) and 12 school buses and do a dry run. Have the buses stop and pretend to off load 30 students per bus and then leave the area. Film it and review any possible means of correcting any problems before it is implemented. Proponents of the project could use this experiment to allay any concerns about potential problems regarding traffic and safety of the children.
Will this experiment cost money? YES! But it is cheaper than a year delay if the Planning Board rejects the proposal put in front of them by the school building committee. One year's delay is estimated to cost $1,200,000 to the project.
Sounds good to me. The people on the Planning Board are trying to look out for the best interest of the people in their Town. This is all we can ask of them. This "Dover Amendment" is a crappy way to stick it to the people who do not have the means to fight back. The Dover Amendment says even if the project is wrong in every way, it does not matter. The thing that bothers me the most is the way our Town Authorities have no problem in taking the trees on Mrs. Perkins's front yard. They say the Town has a right to do this ! It does seem the Town can take 20feet from the middle of the road if they want to use it. My thoughts after the meeting are this, That house is one of the oldest homes in the Center. There were no 20FT. rules back then. How can they use this as a excuse to devalue her home ? Answer that for me ? They do have a option, move the dam pole !! There is more than enough room if they make the island smaller, and if you think about it, how will these people ever get out of their driveway when someone comes tearing around the corner to take a right on to Wellington Road from Dudley ?? They have a option MOVE THE DAM POLE. I am not a Selectman, but I will always work for the people in my Town. Bev.
ReplyDeleteThe planning board can deny this based on these criteria....... bulk of structures, height of structures, yard sizes, lot area, setbacks, open space, parking and building footprints.
ReplyDeleteThink about this area anytime they have anything going on that involves parents attending. The streets will be buried with cars. They have already created overlap with the police department parking (off lot) which shows their NEED. This project is already running on borrowed space for parking. It will interfere with public safety. How well will emergency service be able to respond when the school is releasing students?
Sticking a 3 story 93,000 sq ft structure in the historic center of town, creating a public space with inadequate parking.
Not to mention the board members sticking their necks out if it's approved.
ReplyDeleteWhen a kid gets hit and then another who will they sue?
Planning board members who have a pocket worth suing.
The lawyers will push them into this and the lawyers will take away their life after it goes wrong.
A neighbor spoke about the congestion and storage needed to build this and brought awareness to us all about the scope and turmoil of the center for the three years it will take. A large project like this should never happen in the center of Templeton.
Is it worth life?
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteWhat person in their right mind that claims to love the town they live in even consider suing said same town. It just shows the character and mentality of these people. Yes DHB you are in that group!!!!!
ReplyDeleteThe town council is a lawyer. He is not "the law". As I said earlier, these issues "bulk of structures, height of structures, yard sizes, lot area, setbacks, open space, parking and building footprints" are exempted from the Dover agreement.
ReplyDeleteThe key would be to actually hire a lawyer who is actually fighting for their clients. Doesn't sound like our "town council" is up for the challenge.
I personally believe that the idea that the school is already planning on using parking space on another lot, infringing on another town offices space shows there is an issue before it starts.
There is absolutely nothing good about this plan !! It. Will be a nightmare ! What are these kids going to do at recess? Stand in one spot ? No room for kick ball or softball ? What about the kids with so much energy they need to run around ? Are you going to tell them to sit still? Good luck with that.
ReplyDeleteWhen the ZBA got the slap down we were all told the Dover clause was in play if the financial hardship would be involved.
ReplyDeleteIt does show how the law manipulation can be explained and used the way a group or side wants it to be.
My take is they only used the TC site as a place marker for MSBA and knew it was not fit as the state told them it would be.
To use this Dover clause is to spit in the face of a towns population and every board we trust to do the right things.
Up till now you have people who volunteer their time to help this town.
When they are treated like this that will change.
The lawyer we heard from almost always backs down on town matters.
When the election process was in need of clarity the water department lawyer had to step in and fix the opinion that was incorrectly given.
Does this sound like a lawyer we need ?
Should we get a second opinion "again" to see if this opinion is correct.
Why would the new school promoters think they can just push all boards aside and expect things to go good,safe and fair to the "neighbors".
Life in Templeton center will be a living hell while its under demolition and construction. As the contractor stated at the last meeting and was shut down we are going to be over budget and down sized to meet the 50 million dollar mark.
Can't say we weren't warned.
I think the mock run of traffic is worth the cost to see how it will work.