In a meeting room packed to capacity with concerned residents, Rochester’s Planning Board on Tuesday held a Public Hearing on zoning map amendments for lots on Mary’s Pond Road and County Road. The proposal to rezone these lots from Residential to Limited Commercial will be considered at the May 18 Annual Town Meeting.
The original plan was to do so with four lots at 0 Mary’s Pond Road, 711 Mary’s Pond Road, 35 County Road, 73 County Road, and 0 High Street. The board began the hearing Tuesday by taking a large portion of the County Road proposal, a cranberry bog behind Adrian’s Package Store, and 0 High Street, off of the rezoning amendment. But it then added a 256-acre former Decas Cranberry Company property on Mary’s Pond Road to that amendment.
Town Planner Michaela Shoemaker, Town Administrator Cameron Durant, and Planning Board members explained the goal is to better protect homeowners and taxpayers. The owner of the largest Mary’s Pond Road property has expressed interest in building 12 single-family homes there. The rezoning to Limited Commercial could help him make other choices and give town boards more control as to what goes in there. The change would also bring in better tax revenue and residential property tax relief because commercial properties bring the town a higher tax value.
Audience members crowding the meeting room emphasized their fear of what the neighborhood would become under the zoning change and doubts that the rezone will actually lead to any benefits. Resident and Zoning Board of Appeals member Jeffrey Costa said he couldn’t disagree more with the town officials’ point of view. He said the change would only make it easier for the Decas land developer to do what he wants to do, and the change won’t fix the town’s budget crises. “I encourage you to cut this proposal now and not put it on the (Annual Town Meeting) warrant,” he said.
Referring to a letter she has sent the board, an attorney for the abutters said that placing Limited Commercial there is a mismatch with the character of the town and the goals of its latest master plan, which is heavy on the need to preserve its natural resources. The board, she said, should decline to propose this amendment.
Chair Arnold Johnson led the response, noting that the panel was trying to be proactive, not reactive. In a purely residential zone, he said, the proposed house lots would not have local town controls; Approval Not Required lots need only adhere to state regulations. He noted the board does not vote to adopt the rezoning amendment. That approval will be by voters at Town Meeting.
In other action, the board continued to its March 10 meeting its hearing on the request to approve a modification of the Definitive Subdivision Plan permit for the previously approved Snipatuit Pond Estates at Gerrish and Bishop roads that would swap two parcels of open space to create a 3.578-acre, buildable lot on one of the parcels.
The board continued to its February 24 meeting its Site Plan Review hearing on a proposal to clear land behind Town Hall and re-grade for an 8,220-square-foot parking lot.
The board continued to its February 24 meeting the Site Plan Review hearing to create a second home lot from an existing 5.25-acre parcel at 314 Neck Road.
The Rochester Planning Board’s next meeting will be held on Tuesday, February 24 at 7:00 pm at Town Hall, 1 Constitution Way.
Rochester Planning Board
By Michael J. DeCicco