ENVIRONMENTAL SECRETARY RULES IN FAVOR OF FELLS
COMPLETION OF TUDOR BARN RESTORATION
The state Environmental Affairs Office ruled on January 6, 2006 that Fells developer for the former hospital site across from Spot Pond must prepare a full Environmental Impact Report!
On January 6, 2006 Stephen Pritchard, Secretary of the Executive Office of Environmental Affairs (EOEA) issued a Certificate on the Guiterrez/Simpson (the developers) ‘Notice of Project Change” which was filed in December.
The ruling said that the scale of the “Langwood Commons” project is too big and must be scaled back.
Accordingly, the developers have been instructed to file a complete Environmental Impact Report that shows a project small enough not to adversely impact the Middlesex Fells, the historic Parkways and our neighborhoods!
This is good news as we begin our seventh year protecting the Fells from over scaled development, with hundreds end of the year comment letters from citizens, environmental groups and elected officials saying ‘no! to this huge project.
The bottom line: the future of the Middlesex Fells and our neighborhoods:
Hundreds of thousands of square feet of additional development in the heart of our communities and Fells lands presents valid traffic, environmental, safety, health and open space risks and damages that far outweigh the regional housing benefits.
Certificate main points:
-- the developer is required to do a full Supplemental Final Environmental Impact Report (SFEIR). (page 1)
-- the “Langwood Commons” project does not qualify as a “reduced build alternative” as previously required by the EOEA ; the project scale has increased. (pp. 3-4)
-- the developers have not shown the project could be built “without adversely affecting the character of the parkways” as required in the previous 2003 Certificate. (p. 4)
-- the developers next Impact Report must include analysis of severe environmental impacts regarding “land alteration, parkland impacts, historic issues, traffic, air quality, wetlands, stormwater, wastewater, and water.” (p. 3)
-- the “appropriate scale” of the project is “contextual, and will be determined by the relationship between the
size of the project, the scope of the measures necessary to mitigate for unavoidable impacts, and the capacity of the Middlesex Fells Reservation to accommodate that mitigation.” (p. 4)
-- the developer will be required to provide accurate traffic information including historic numbers and completely new traffic counts to identify current and future conditions, including impacts to presently “failing” intersections. (p. 7)
 | ||||
On August 10th a ceremony was held on the shore of Spot Pond to mark completion of a decade- long effort led by the Friends to save the historic Tudor Barn. On hand to mark the occasion were Friends of Fells members, Dept. of Conservation Commissioner Stephen Burrington, a spokes-man from the MA Water Resources Authority, political representatives and many others.
During the restoration process a stone mason said that the Barn (built in the late 1840s) would now be sound for another century! The renewed structure is a strong
structure is a strong symbol pointing to establishing the Spot Pond region as the public gateway to the incomparable Fells Reservation. Plans are now under way for creation of an upgraded Visitor Center in the not too distant future.
| ||||
