Sorry for the delay in posting! Video of night two of Town Meeting is available through Andover TV, and the discussion of article 57 commences at 1:06:08: http://andover.vod.castus.tv/vod/index.php/f/7/8/8/f/4/f788f456-9034-4205-bbf2-6d965840b4741493785486.357+2371122.476@castus4-andover-output+14939292861493922552687781.vod.720p.Town%20Meeting%205-2-17.mp4#castusvod_autoplay=1
Night two of town meeting featured a very passionate discussion on warrant article 57, sponsored by Andover resident Wendy Donohue. Moderator Sheila Doherty established the parameters of the warrant article before opening up the article for public discussion, making it clear that anyone who started to speak about a project or the components of a project would not be allowed to speak further, as only discussion about adding a residential component to a commercial/industrial zone was on the warrant.
During the course of the conversation, two amendments to article 57 were passed that we’ll hope to have more info on to pass along in the coming weeks:
- Austin Simko, vice chair of the Planning Board, offered the amendment no single retail establishment shall exceed 25,000 square feet in the ID3 district.
- Susan Stott, founder of Andover Community Trust – a nonprofit organization that advocates for and develops permanently affordable housing in Andover – offered a floor amendment that required 15% affordable housing.
Several elected and appointed officials spoke in favor of warrant article 57, including State Senator Barbara L’Italien, Chairman of the Economic Development Council John Fenton, Chairman of the Board of Selectmen Paul Salafia, School Committee member Shannon Scully, and Council on Aging spokesperson Margaret O’Connor.
Many residents spoke out against passage of warrant article 57, citing the potential impact on traffic, safety, schools, and downtown Andover. Resident Scott Nicholson asked if the Board of Selectmen had reviewed any independent studies before voting to recommend support of the article, and was informed by Superintendent of Schools Dr. Sheldon Berman that no studies specific to the warrant article had been undertaken at this point.
Resident Don Robb, a former member of the Finance Committee and School Committee, spoke in favor of article 57, citing the the need to think of the warrant article as a zoning article that creates a “new kind of zoning” that includes a “residential component along with a commercial component” whether it be at Dascomb Road or somewhere else.
Selectman Bob Landry, the lone member of the Board of Selectman to abstain from the vote recommending support of article 57, was asked to elaborate by resident Adam Scoll on his reasoning for abstaining.
According to Landry, he abstained for a number of reasons, saying “the first of which was the process. It is inexplicable that these articles did not come before the Board of Selectmen until a week ago, leaving very little time to evaluate this article and the potent impact of the Dascomb Road project,” he said. “At last week’s meeting I asked questions about projected tax revenues, which I learned were simply ball park estimates by town staff, and that $340,000 of sewer and water revenues were incorrectly being included in the school operating budget.”
He went on to question the lack of a traffic study and questioned whether the parking capacity would be sufficient for the proposed project, and told residents that he was asked to vote without the benefit of public hearings. Landry ultimately asked the proponents of the warrant article to withdraw them and take them up at a fall town meeting.
“I am hoping the proponents of articles 57 and 58 listen to the concerns of residents tonight, and withdraw these articles so we can have a more thorough public vetting of these issues over the next few months, and possibly take them up at a fall town meeting,” Landry said.
Andover resident Michael Rosen asked proponents of the warrant article to refer the article, and bring together opponents and proponents of the warrant article to pull together the necessary information in order to debate the warrant article “on its merits, rather than speculation.”
Finally developer Sal Lupoli, owner of 146 Dascomb Road, addressed town meeting, citing Rosen’s recommendation to form a committee.
““We only have one town meeting in the course of the year. That’s why your selectmen were trying to get this grant in, and that’s why this came about so fast. So what I would like to request is this…as a result of the understanding that there is potential for a fall meeting, that means that [MassWorks] grant will still be alive within this calendar year.” He went on to say, “I’d like to form a committee, to better hear and understand what’s going on with this project. I hope to come back in front of you, and not lose this grant.”
At that point, Donohue moved to withdraw warrant articles 57 and 58, and night two was adjourned.