hot date with the planning commission
Dec. 2nd, 2003 10:58 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
kirkcudbrightI don't know what genius decided to schedule two definitive subdivision hearings back-to-back in half-hour slots, but it didn't work. Really. Didn't. Work. The first hearing ran to an hour and a half. Interestingly, it was for the thing that H* has been fighting - a subdivision in Andover, accessible only from North Reading (by a road that's narrow, over-developed, and seasonably impassible).
Anyway, what I was there for was another fricking tear-down cul-de-sac subdivision, a little down the street and on the other side from us. It's the same developer and engineering firm that are going to tear down the house next to ours. In this latest project, they're going to tear down the house next to the stable where I ride, and put in 7 new McMansions. The area is all ledge (bedrock) and wetland. They're also proposing to "relocate" the horse trail into the state forest.
The hearing started with a reading of memoranda from the town engineer, water dept, conservation commission, etc, all poking major holes in the proposal. I'm convinced that the developers deliberately put forward a non-conforming proposal, to see what the town officials are focusing on at the moment. Basically, to see what they can get away with.
This is the first of many meetings. Judging from experience, the planning commision hearing is going to be continued all the way until summer, at least, and the conservation commission hasn't even scheduled a hearing yet. While we don't abut this project, we're going to be impacted by it, and besides, Laine (the stable owner) came to my hearings, so I'll go to hers. It's all part of the same thing.
Anyway, what I was there for was another fricking tear-down cul-de-sac subdivision, a little down the street and on the other side from us. It's the same developer and engineering firm that are going to tear down the house next to ours. In this latest project, they're going to tear down the house next to the stable where I ride, and put in 7 new McMansions. The area is all ledge (bedrock) and wetland. They're also proposing to "relocate" the horse trail into the state forest.
The hearing started with a reading of memoranda from the town engineer, water dept, conservation commission, etc, all poking major holes in the proposal. I'm convinced that the developers deliberately put forward a non-conforming proposal, to see what the town officials are focusing on at the moment. Basically, to see what they can get away with.
This is the first of many meetings. Judging from experience, the planning commision hearing is going to be continued all the way until summer, at least, and the conservation commission hasn't even scheduled a hearing yet. While we don't abut this project, we're going to be impacted by it, and besides, Laine (the stable owner) came to my hearings, so I'll go to hers. It's all part of the same thing.
no subject
Date: 2003-12-03 04:50 am (UTC)facts n figures
Date: 2003-12-05 05:09 pm (UTC)And behind him comes a cadre of lawyer weasels, who know full well that the CPC's charter is technically to only examine the facts and figures and engineering reports and decided if the applicant meets all the various guidelines required for building -- the fact that the abutters think the whole thing is cockamamie and stupid doesn't enter in, unless said abutters [ahem] are there attending the public hearings in force. So on and off for the last 3 years the peasants have been faithfully showing up with their torches and pitchforks, and taking a lot of time to sit there for an evening with dubious effect in the long run.
They all suck. Suck suck suck. The underlying problem is that there are just too goddamn many people, but that's a different rant.
_H*