Dear Neighbors,
Last night, I sent the email below to Mayor Spicer, our City Councilors and the
Planning Board. It was also sent to Ms. Loomis, Planning Board Administrator
and Erika Jeramm, Deputy Director of Community and Economic Developement whose
departments have have been instrumental in developing the B3 Zoning.
Please contact your City Councilor and let them know your thoughts. Please
say no to the current proposed B3 Zoning. Nobscot deserves better.
Last night, I sent the email below to Mayor Spicer, our City Councilors and the
Planning Board. It was also sent to Ms. Loomis, Planning Board Administrator
and Erika Jeramm, Deputy Director of Community and Economic Developement whose
departments have have been instrumental in developing the B3 Zoning.
Please contact your City Councilor and let them know your thoughts. Please
say no to the current proposed B3 Zoning. Nobscot deserves better.
-----Original Message-----
From: cboettjer <<email obscured>>
To: mayor <<email obscured>>; CityCouncil <<email obscured>>;
apr <<email obscured>>; aloomis <<email obscured>>; eoj
<<email obscured>>
Cc: cboettjer <<email obscured>>; lowell.mercier
<<email obscured>>
Sent: Mon, Mar 4, 2019 7:01 pm
Subject: No B3 in Nobscot
Dear Mayor Spicer, The City Councilors, Planning Board Members, Ms. Loomis, and
Ms.Jeerram,
Once again, thank-you for the opportunity to offer our opinions and concerns
about the proposed B3 zoning for Nobscot. Thank-you for taking Hemenway School
and McAuliffe Library off of the proposed B3 zoning map. Thank-you for meeting
with us at Heritage on Feb. 21st.
The proposed B3 zoning has a major flaw: The building heights are too high and
the density is too much. Please SAY NO TO B3
What would work better so most parties could be happy? Look around and see how
nicely Windsor Green and Heritage parcels fit into the landscape of Nobsoct.
These parcels are designed well, have spacious green areas and lush landscaping
and the buildings are only two to three stories. These structures do not
dominate their spaces and the development overall blends well into the nearby
neighborhoods. In regards to retail and a grocery store: Keep all retail in
the "Gianis" plaza. Do we really need anymore than that? Work with current
food stores (convenience, gas station, CVS) to provide grocery items we want.
The idea of a Nobscot Village has been thoughtfully researched and visually
considered with design and landscaping requirements, a table of business uses
and an impressive amount of community input, but the proposed building heights
of 40' to 50' are not congruent with a Village that abuts neighborhoods of
houses that are 10' to 20' high with an occasional 30' structure.
Now is the time for all of you to fully understand all the details of B3 zoning
and what it could mean for Nobscot, Saxonville and other areas of the City. We
urge you to carefully read all the documentation that is available on the city
website, talk to your colleagues, Amada Loomis and Erika Jerram, drive by Mt.
Wayte, park in the Shaws parking lot and really look at that mass of buildings
across the way. Then, thoughtfully consider the negative impact B3 will have on
Nobscot. and beyond. If all of "Nobscot" is zoned B3 then there is the
potential for multiple 40'-50' high buildings. This is not what we want for
Nobscot.
It is clear by now, that many people are disappointed that the Chapel was sold
to Mr. Rose who now, like in a game of Monopoly, has three parcels on Edgell
Rd. and is closer to building on them. We are eager to learn about possible
toxic waste on the old Texaco site and we will watch carefully on how Mr. Rose
proceeds.
Please see the link to one of the original site plans for the old Finnerty's
parcel (Now CVS) in Wayland, corner of W. Plain and Rt 27. Note that the
developers did not get the corner, a drive-thru or two entrances/exits.
Wayland pushed back. Also note, the developer's original plan called for two
mixed-use buildings (no apartments) but they eventually backed out of those
structures. Link to plan and some media coverage:
https://waylandenews.com/tag/finnertys/ (Please cut/paste in a browser.)
Framingham has and will have plenty of apartments without adding 150 in
Nobscot. If our city is looking for more revenue, then we need to look at
other sources or other parcels of land that can better handle 150 apartments.
(Or make some budget cuts.) If Mr. Rose needs more rental revenue, then he
needs to re-balance his portfolio and find that revenue somewhere else. It has
been mentioned that he only needs the CVS building to meet his goals, so maybe
the City can split the cost of demolishing the strip mall with Mr. Rose, rent
some land from him for extra library parking and turn the rest into a park that
Rose can own and the City can upkeep with donations from the public Mr. Rose
would still be getting his rent from "Shaws."
Please know that CVS Corp is now in the business of creating mega stores that
will offer many more health-related amenities than the current Nobscot store.
All good things, but these services will increase traffic and parking, so
hopefully the PB is taking this into account.
https://www.brandchannel.com/2017/04/24/cvs-retail-design-042417/
The bottom line is that the proposed B3 zoning is not good for Nobscot.
Thank-you for reading and this opportunity to voice are concerns and offer
suggestions.
Sincerely,Cathy and Lowell Mercier84 Davidson Rd. District 1
From: cboettjer <<email obscured>>
To: mayor <<email obscured>>; CityCouncil <<email obscured>>;
apr <<email obscured>>; aloomis <<email obscured>>; eoj
<<email obscured>>
Cc: cboettjer <<email obscured>>; lowell.mercier
<<email obscured>>
Sent: Mon, Mar 4, 2019 7:01 pm
Subject: No B3 in Nobscot
Dear Mayor Spicer, The City Councilors, Planning Board Members, Ms. Loomis, and
Ms.Jeerram,
Once again, thank-you for the opportunity to offer our opinions and concerns
about the proposed B3 zoning for Nobscot. Thank-you for taking Hemenway School
and McAuliffe Library off of the proposed B3 zoning map. Thank-you for meeting
with us at Heritage on Feb. 21st.
The proposed B3 zoning has a major flaw: The building heights are too high and
the density is too much. Please SAY NO TO B3
What would work better so most parties could be happy? Look around and see how
nicely Windsor Green and Heritage parcels fit into the landscape of Nobsoct.
These parcels are designed well, have spacious green areas and lush landscaping
and the buildings are only two to three stories. These structures do not
dominate their spaces and the development overall blends well into the nearby
neighborhoods. In regards to retail and a grocery store: Keep all retail in
the "Gianis" plaza. Do we really need anymore than that? Work with current
food stores (convenience, gas station, CVS) to provide grocery items we want.
The idea of a Nobscot Village has been thoughtfully researched and visually
considered with design and landscaping requirements, a table of business uses
and an impressive amount of community input, but the proposed building heights
of 40' to 50' are not congruent with a Village that abuts neighborhoods of
houses that are 10' to 20' high with an occasional 30' structure.
Now is the time for all of you to fully understand all the details of B3 zoning
and what it could mean for Nobscot, Saxonville and other areas of the City. We
urge you to carefully read all the documentation that is available on the city
website, talk to your colleagues, Amada Loomis and Erika Jerram, drive by Mt.
Wayte, park in the Shaws parking lot and really look at that mass of buildings
across the way. Then, thoughtfully consider the negative impact B3 will have on
Nobscot. and beyond. If all of "Nobscot" is zoned B3 then there is the
potential for multiple 40'-50' high buildings. This is not what we want for
Nobscot.
It is clear by now, that many people are disappointed that the Chapel was sold
to Mr. Rose who now, like in a game of Monopoly, has three parcels on Edgell
Rd. and is closer to building on them. We are eager to learn about possible
toxic waste on the old Texaco site and we will watch carefully on how Mr. Rose
proceeds.
Please see the link to one of the original site plans for the old Finnerty's
parcel (Now CVS) in Wayland, corner of W. Plain and Rt 27. Note that the
developers did not get the corner, a drive-thru or two entrances/exits.
Wayland pushed back. Also note, the developer's original plan called for two
mixed-use buildings (no apartments) but they eventually backed out of those
structures. Link to plan and some media coverage:
https://waylandenews.com/tag/finnertys/ (Please cut/paste in a browser.)
Framingham has and will have plenty of apartments without adding 150 in
Nobscot. If our city is looking for more revenue, then we need to look at
other sources or other parcels of land that can better handle 150 apartments.
(Or make some budget cuts.) If Mr. Rose needs more rental revenue, then he
needs to re-balance his portfolio and find that revenue somewhere else. It has
been mentioned that he only needs the CVS building to meet his goals, so maybe
the City can split the cost of demolishing the strip mall with Mr. Rose, rent
some land from him for extra library parking and turn the rest into a park that
Rose can own and the City can upkeep with donations from the public Mr. Rose
would still be getting his rent from "Shaws."
Please know that CVS Corp is now in the business of creating mega stores that
will offer many more health-related amenities than the current Nobscot store.
All good things, but these services will increase traffic and parking, so
hopefully the PB is taking this into account.
https://www.brandchannel.com/2017/04/24/cvs-retail-design-042417/
The bottom line is that the proposed B3 zoning is not good for Nobscot.
Thank-you for reading and this opportunity to voice are concerns and offer
suggestions.
Sincerely,Cathy and Lowell Mercier84 Davidson Rd. District 1