Carolyn Bishop's letter to Citizen Herald
(added to website March 16, 2004).

Last week's Citizen Herald contained major news items, one was a surprise and one wasn't. The surprise was not the O'Neill Properties' threat to build a 300 unit rental 40B project on the Belmont Uplands; he has threatened that for years to pressure the Town into granting him yet another rezoning.

The surprise was the editorial which called the citizens who are trying to both save the Uplands and bring revenue to the Town "well meaning but wacky folk". The high emotional content of the editorial only served to frighten uninformed townspeople into fearing a 40B development and didn't educate on the options or implications of 40B.

A fine forum on 40B was held recently by the Belmont Housing Trust. The issue is complicated but the fact is there are many steps a developer must take to get a comprehensive permit. A subsidy from a state agency as well as a letter of site eligibility must be obtained by the developer and both of these allow Town input on the project. Naturally those of us who want to save the Uplands want to point out how inappropriate the site is for housing of any sort, cut off from the rest of the Town and destructive to the very site that the developer claims makes housing there desirable. (Please note there would be no trees left on the upland site when O'Neill has leveled and built there.)

With 40B the Town would have greater access to the detailed plans and financing of a 40B project than we did with the vague project before us. A 40B application opens O'Neill's plans to greater scrutiny by the state. Finally we could get some details on the project: currently the figures on unit sizes and numbers have varied and the amenities shrink and swell in detail according to the audience!

The 40B does not supersede state statutes: the Wetlands Protection Act and the Riverways Protection Act are still in effect.

The "wacky" proposal presented to the Selectmen would accomplish many goals: saving the Uplands Property so it can continue to provide flood storage, wildlife habitat and beauty to the area; allowing building on an already disturbed site closer to a residential area, and providing revenue to the Town. It suggests a square footage which is equal to that already accepted by the Town for the commercial project of 240,000 square '. It allows 150 units of one and two bedroom units with adequate garage parking. This is an appropriate size for the area and fits well on the site. This project looks out over the rescued Uplands and Little Pond, a pleasant aspect for any housing. Due to our inclusionary zoning law, it would provide some affordable units. It could be screened from Route 2 with mature trees, natural elevation, new plantings, strategic location of the parking garage and fencing if needed. It could be accomplished without expensive roadway changes if a narrowed Frontage Road is retained for access and the original route 2 access road approved for the commercial site is built.

There are people in Arlington concerned about use of the rink site and potential flood water storage. DCR has plans for flood mitigation with storm water storage projects along the Alewife/ADL area and we have been told that this is where the Arlington flood storage needs will be met, as well as the natural flow onto the Mugar Land that Arlington is fighting to retain. Any project on the rink site must meet pre/post runoff requirements that protect the surroundings from additional runoff.

There are many benefits for O'Neill Properties in building on the rink site: he would have support from the Town, he would have a tax writeoff for the donation of the CR on the Uplands site, he could start building sooner.

The Town must not be blackmailed with the threat of 40B into accepting the oversized inappropriate vaguely defined residential project that O'Neill was proposing. If he wants to do 40B, bring it on! We will work together to make it thebest project in the most appropriate site. Meanwhile, we must educate ourselves, providing valuable protective input at each stage of the proceedings and recognizing that 40B would increase our affordable quota, increase our eligibility for state grants and help house our sons, daughters, employees who cannot afford to live in Belmont. Let's preserve the Uplands, resist O'Neill's blackmail, defeat the proposed rezoning , build on the already disturbed rink site and move to getting the revenue the Town needs. Does that sound wacky?