Despite several periods of confusion around process, policy and procedure, members of the planning board made their opposition to the Coffman Realty’s proposal to redevelop the Temple Shalom site clear.

Chariman Innes began by reviewing the process. The Planning Board in this case is restricted in its authority due to the fact that a 10 person citizens petition was filed. As a result, the article proposing the redevelopment is an article in the warrant that will go before Town Meeting. Town Meeting needs to, as Ms. Innes stated, “dispose” of it, which can occur in 4 ways: they can deny the article, pass the article, amend the article, or recommit the article to the planning board. The planning board can only issue a recommendation at this point as to the action Town Meeting should take.

After a brief citizens speak and arguments made both against (Ms. McEttrick) and for (Mr. Coffman and Mr. Corcoran), the members of the board spoke.

Pete Jackson spoke from prepared remarks. After expressing appreciatioin for and acknowledging the contributions of the Temple, he voiced his opposition to the plan for several reasons. Chief among them being “social equlaity” within the town. He could not see how the board could support this proposal in light of their decision to deny commercial development at the DPW yard which also received vocal neighborhood opposition.

Ed Duffy also voiced opposition to the proposal. He cited town regulations which stipulate that streets be 50 feet wide. he noted that many streets in the neighborhood are only 30 or 40 feet wide. While there isn’t really anything that can be done about that, but putting a commercial development in an area that is already out of compliance will only aggravate public safety concerns.

Nor could Mr Whiteside support the proposal. Consistent with statements he has made previously, the proposal lacks specificity and definition. “If we know what is going to happen, zoning can make it happen.” Due to lack of detail, the board does not know what is going to happen. He further pointed out that the developer was told the proposal was deficient and has done nothing to rectify that.

These comments were all made as part of open hearing. The board did not recess to deliberate at this time. Ms. Innes wants to clarify certain points of order with Town Counsel. She will do that prior to the next meeting scheduled for April 13th.

Mr. Corcoran in his remarks stated that the process, as it was being conducted, was the “equivalent of a no vote because we will run out of time.” He urged the committee to, “Take the time now to do your job.”

The Planning Board is meeting this evening, 3/31/2009, to resume deliberations on Temple Shalom’s proposal to redevelop their site.

According to the town web site, the meeting is scheduled for 7:00 PM this evening at the Council on Aging on Walnut Street.

The following presentation which were given to the Planning Board are now available online. (Please note, the second presentation is fairly large). Click on the title of the presentation to view it.

Paul Etkind, spokesperson for Temple Shalom – “Planning for the Life of a Community:Temple Shalom of Milton”

Ned Corcoran, Coffman Realty – “Blue Hill Avenue Institutional/Business Overlay District: Response to Questions before the Milton Planning Board Temple Shalom and Coffman Realty, Inc.”

Lastly, today (3/31/09) is the last day to complete the Planning Board’s survey. All Milton residents are encouraged to complete it. Let the Planning Board know what you think. Take the survey here.

The Planning Board re-opened the floor last night to citizen feedback on the proposed overlay for the redevelopment of the Temple Shalom property. The Temple Shalom, which is in financial straits,  has engaged Coffman Realty to develop a plan for the property. The proposal they put forth includes a pharmacy, a separate professional building that would house additional business/retail tenants, and a new, smaller temple.

Many local residents oppose the plan. The chief concerns being a) increased traffic in an area where traffic is already high and traffic management is poor, and b) the impact on property values. Blue Hill Terrace was identified by several residents as being especially problematic and a public safety issue now, never mind with the additional traffic a commercial development might bring. Many neighbors expressed a desire for the Temple to stay; but that this plan was not the solution. They feel the plan lacks definition, specificity, and that the Temple and Coffman did not seek neighborhood input early enough in the planning process.

Proponents of the development argued that having the development would provide convenience to all residents of the area. Currently, residents of the west side of town need to drive to get basic staples and sundries. A commercial area would also provide employment to neighborhood high school students . Many expressed optimism that a solution could be found if they continued to work together.

Some participants identified Mr. Whitside’s proposal as a positive step. Mr. Whiteside, a member of the Planning Board, who in the previous meeting had said the plan was “devoid of necessary standards as a matter of zoning,” reiterated that the plan had “significant problems that gave me pause.” He drafted a zoning proposal that might serve as  a “framework” in which the Temple and commercial use could work. He identified the following characteristics: a buffer zone of green space 25′ wide, a single entrance from Blue Hill Ave, 6:00AM – 10PM hours of operation, no overnight parking, buildings limited to 15,000 sq feet, and 60 parking spaces allocated for each building. Key to his proposal would be an institutional commercial committee appointed by Board of Selectmen comprised of 2 residents, a selectman, and 2 architects, one of whom would be a landscape architect.

This session of the board marked the end of public comment on the issue.  The Board will next convene on 3/26th at which time the Temple and Coffman Realty will present a response to community feedback.

RELATED LINKS:

Boston Globe Editorial

Coffman Realty web site

Milton Planning  Board web page

Temple Shalom web site