At a Special Town Hall meeting Monday night, voters overwhelmingly approved all 11 articles before it.
The most notable were two articles that approved zoning changes to permit a 66-units of detached 55-plus senior housing units on 36 undeveloped acres at the Sagamore Springs Golf Club and another article that approved funding of a $63.5 million public safety complex project.
Voters were asked to decide on two amendments that directly impacted the development of senior housing on the land of the golf course, the first being Article 6, which involves the redefinition of “Housing for the Elderly”, and the second being Article 7, an amendment to the Zoning District Map that changes a parcel of land off Main Street from Single Resident District to Elderly Housing District.
Both articles passed with ease after little debate. Article 6 passed with a 299 to 54 vote, while Article 7 passed with a 290 to 60 vote.
The project is a scaled-down version of a failed 2018 proposal by the golf course involving a 154-unit complex. According to Richard Luff, a trustee with the Sagamore Spring Real Estate Trust, the new proposal is a compromise between the developers and those that oppose the plan, and that the situation is not a matter of if property will be built on the land, but the number of units that will be constructed.
“We know our rights as landowners, and we have chosen to compromise within our family, and with the town of Lynnfield. If these zoning changes are rejected, we will not be back with a third gate restricted development,” Luff said. “It will be a by-right development, requiring no zoning changes, and no town meeting.”
The passing of these articles avoided a situation where the owners of the land would enact their right to build, in which they would not have needed approval from the Town to construct housing units, and instead of adding 66 senior living units, they would have begun development of 82 single family homes.
Though the article passed with little resistance, there were a number of residents who spoke that were opposed to the proposal, noting concerns with traffic as well as water quality fears.
Lynnfield resident Kenneth Peterson, who lives on Main Street, near where the development would take place, spoke against the proposal, stating public safety as a primary concern.
“Our predecessors recognized the limitations and issues of public safety brought about by upper main street topography, blind double curvature, narrow road width without a stopping shoulder,” he said. “This condition exists now, along with a lack of utilities and town services such as pipe and drink water, fire protection hydrants, and traffic speed enforcements, balanced only by the present single family residential zone D requirements.”
Things got a bit heated when Peterson, who had been granted extra time after he exceeded the three-minute limit, refused to stop talking after been told by Moderator Joe Markey to stop. It wasn’t until Markey threatened to have Police Chief Nick Secatore escort Peterson out of the meeting that Peterson returned to his seat.
Markey also reprimanded Pat Campbell, who was visibly angry over the proceedings, and issued a stern warning that he didn’t appreciate her tone.
In addition to these two articles, the Town also voted 287 to 33 in favor of the public safety building project which calls for the demolitions of the South Lynnfield Fire Station and the construction of a new fire headquarters, as well as the expansion and renovation of the existing police, fire, and Town Hall complex.
Lynnfield Fire Chief Glenn Davis spoke about the necessity of these renovations, specifically stating that the department does not have designated “clean or dirty areas” in order for firefighters to clean their equipment. Davis noted that lack of facilities to clean equipment properly can result in the staff developing diseases and illnesses such as cancer, which is known to be developed at a higher rate amongst firefighters than in other professions.
Davis also pointed out that the station was built at a time where female firefighters were not accepted in the department, and gender conforming bathrooms did not exist, adding that the building needed to be updated to accommodate female workers and add all gender bathrooms.
A lease agreement with the United States Postal Service also passed that will allow “for the rental of the so-called South Hall/South Post Office building at 598 Salem Street, for a period not to exceed 25 years”.
Article 10 asking voters to approve funding for a permanent clubhouse at the King Rail Reserve Golf Course was also a slam dunk with voters, passing 240-17. The project will be funded with $400,000 the town received from the MarketStreet development and another $500,000 from the Golf Enterprise Fund retained earnings.
