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Town Meeting, which opens Nov. 7, will be asked to grapple with a variation of an age-old question: “Does the needs of a few outweigh the needs of the many?”
In this case, Articles 5 and 6 ask the town to release and rezone a piece of land owned by The Ledges, a 40-ish year old condominium complex on Wainwright Street so it can be developed as a single family home.
“I estimate that to be able to sell this one piece of property will save [The Ledges] residents approximately $100 a month for 10 years,” said Rich Bartels, who along with attorney Mark Vaughan, asked the Select Board during a recent meeting to support both articles.
Vaughan argued the sale would benefit the town because it would generate tax revenue once the property was sold and result in a nice single-family home for someone. He said it would also assist residents at The Ledges because the money received would go toward addressing needs there.
Both also made a similar presentation to the Planning Board on Oct. 29 during the board’s public hearing.
Prior raises questions
Select Board Chairman Michelle Prior wrestled with the request.
“Is it the role of Town Meeting to free up a parcel for the benefit of 110 people?” she asked. “I struggle with this a little bit in terms of, there’s no public benefit.
There’s no affordable housing coming out of it. There’s no public purpose, but we’re asking Town Meeting to approve something for the benefit of very few even though a 100 bucks a month isn’t nothing.”
Bartels, however, argued the public benefit would be that The Ledges was going to free up a piece of fallow land that would permanently add tax revenues to the town coffers.
“You’re not getting any revenue at all from this right now,” he said.
Bartels said he also worried that older residents at The Ledges might be forced to sell if they can’t afford an increase in Homeowner Association fees coupled with a property tax increase, which he called a natural extension of owning a home.
Prior asked if residents at The Ledges approved the project and Bartels said 81% were on board.
“Eighty-eight units actually voted in favor of it, only five units voted against it, and the balance did not respond,” he said.
Prior also asked what Bartels expected to get for the lot.
Bartels said he’s not sure what lots are currently going for in Winchester, but they hoped to get north of $750,000 for the 20,000 square foot lot that has frontage on Wainwright Road.
“I think it would be a minimal amount of effort to have to develop this property,” he said. “There’s not going to be any ledge being blown up or anything like that drilled in order to facilitate a very nice home.”
He also said there was no chance they’d come back to the town in the future and ask to do this again because property requirements prohibit it.
“This is a 56-acre plus property and PRD (Planned Residential Development) requires 55 acres, a density of two units per lot,” he said. “We have 110 units.”
The Select Board voted 4-1 to support Articles 5 and 6 at Town Meeting, with Prior being the lone dissenter on both.
Planning Board hearing
Similar concerns were raised by the Planning Board during its public hearing.
Diab Jerius said he was concerned about the green space and retaining as many trees in the area as possible. Like Prior, he also questioned the “public good” of the project.
“The [original Zoning Board of Appeals] decision was made in good faith and I am compelled to abide by that,” Brian Vernaglia said, of The Ledges articles. “I could be swayed if there was any affordable housing, but I don’t think it’s for the public good.”
The Planning Board postponed its vote on The Ledges articles until the evening of Town Meeting.
Both articles are expected to reach the floor of Town Meeting on the first night.
Winchester News editor Nell Escobar Coakley contributed to this report.
