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.

At the Planning Board meeting on 3/26, Temple Shalom and its representative, Coffman Realty, presented their response to the concerns voiced during the recent “Citizens Speaks” sessions.

Mr. Etkind of Temple Shalom and Mr. Cocoran of Coffman Realty both gave presentations. Mr. Etkind reviewed the process the Temple went through in selecting this course of development (e.g. a commercial overlay) and addressed the issue raised regarding why they did not include the public sooner. The Temple believes the only viable course that would secure them the financing they need to remain on site is the commercial development. He further explained that they are an organization governed by bylaws. They were required to have approval of a plan pass by the congregation in advance of discussion with the public.  He stated that the Temple plans to sell the property in the next year unless, of course, they cannot and it will sit vacant until such time that they can. He also reviewed the options of redeveloping as residential C or residential 40B properties. This would be reiterated in Mr. Corcoran’s presntation. Mr. Etkind reminded all present that the efforts of the Temple were done by volunteers and that “We did what we could and we did it in good faith.”

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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