Abington Residents have an opportunity to vote against rezoning this Beautiful Meadow to a Multi Use Development District.
Meadow accessed from Public Parking lot on Spruce St.
On August 15, 2023 I was forwarded an email from the Asst. Planner for the Town of Abington
Below in italics is an excerpt from the email.
Here are two maps(from the Planning Board webpage) that display a Commercial Zone and the Multi Use Development District Zone. A link is provided on the Abington Town Website and just below…
https://www.abingtonma.gov/2023SpecialTownMeeting
Map 1 of Proposed Commercial Zone from town website (Link above)
Map 2 of Proposed Multi Use Development District from Town Website (Link above)
Public Trail leading to Thompsons Pond and Twin Ponds and the Rockland Town Forest.
I emailed the Town Manager with the following…a version of what I think should happen with the meadow area. Below is the email I sent.
Hello Scott,
“I would like to start the process of an Article for Town Meeting. Below is my idea and reasoning. Changing the proposed Multi Use Development District to be zoned Open Space…Can our legal department help me with this?
Using the map Abington Planning Board (below) sent out via email everything South of this commercial zone would be zoned Open Space to be put in perpetuity for passive recreation with no development of any kind and for this conserved and protected area to be put into the Care and Custody of the Abington Conservation Commission with the stipulation that any and all changes in the future to be voted on at Town Meeting…
Amendments to the Open Space bylaws would be striking out and not allowing any and all references to and development of any kind, including and not limited to Cell and Utility Towers, or Towers of any kind, Golf Courses or any kind of active recreation like ball fields or playgrounds, roads (excepting emergency access), no housing or buildings of any kind, and no Utilities. No man made alterations of any kind except trail signage and trail markers along with educational signage and resting benches, bird houses, and enhancements to nature and the reclamation thereof and enhancement of the natural world would be allowed, at the discretion of the conservation commission and the people of Abington as a town. Emergency roads should be gated off as to not allow motor vehicles or powered recreation vehicles or powered bikes.
The intent is to conserve all the area south of the commercial zone as nature in its natural state for passive recreation like hiking or dog walking or nature observation. To protect the land and wildlife of this area. To let this area be for wildlife, wild native plants, wildflowers, bushes and trees.
There should be a buffer area that will block out any vestige of man made development to create the visual expanse of this Open Space along with the wooded, forested areas that surround the meadow.”
Dan Brielmann
Below is the town managers email response to my email …
Hi Dan
The Towns legal department cannot aid in drafting a petition on behalf of an individual or group of individuals. If you wish to request that the Planning Board sponsors such an article you may do so. Unfortunately, there will not be sufficient time to get an article sponsored by the Planning Board even if they are willing to sponsor such an article. Keep in mind that this is private property and not Town owned land.
The Special Town Meeting Warrant closes on Monday the 28th.
A citizen’s petition article can still be submitted you will need 100 signatures to do so.
Here is a link to the Town webpage follow the prompt for Citizen Petion Information.
http://www.abingtonma.gov/town-meeting
Best regards
Scott J. Lambiase
Town Manager
The timing of this is critical. There was not enough time left to prepare an article to protect this critical habitat. This is the reason we are asking the town to vote against rezoning this area to a multi use development district.
Sign at Parking Lot on Spruce St.
The Planning Board will be having a public meeting as mentioned in the above email from the Assistant Town Planner.
The Open Space Committee and the Conservation Commission have just learned about the proposed Zoning Change. They were not included in the planning.
The Open Space Committee called for and met with developers on Aug.16th. At that meeting, which I attended, the Developers said they "can change their plans at any time" but they "cannot change the Zoning". So if we allow this new multi-use development district to pass, we will in effect be powerless in the future. As the developer presenter said at the Open Space meeting, they can change their plans at any time but they can't change the zoning.
Meadow Wildflowers
If residents of Abington do not want development in this meadow at the air base then they must vote down the Planning Board Article for rezoning to a Multi Use Development District.
Wildflowers with morning dew
What we are suggesting to the town is to zone the meadow Open Space. This is an area of critical importance to all Abington residents. This meadow is a rare treasure and home to some endangered species. We need to VOTE NO on the rezoning of this area. We need to amend zoning so that it is open space for passive recreation only.
Map at Trail Head, around Meadow to Thompson Pond and the Twin Ponds and the Rockland Town Forest
The Southfield Redevelopment Authority allows many things to be developed in Open Space. In the bylaws they have posted on their website, Cell Phone towers, utilities, roads, and golf courses, solar fields, etc are allowed.
Grass with morning dew
Our proposal is that the meadow area be left completely natural in the state it is now with a buffer up to the commercial zone so there is a wide open space for people to enjoy passive recreation like hiking, dog walking, birdwatching and the enjoyment of nature. Below is a video showing this spectacular meadow.
The map below shows conservation area in the meadow as prepared by previous developer.
We want the meadow and land for endangered species protected with a buffer zone so the commercial area is not visible from the meadow and the trails.
Conservation Map prepared by previous developer
Meadow
In order to protect and preserve this beautiful, natural, wide open space we need to get as many people out to vote against this zoning change. And we also need to have this meadow area zoned open space with amended bylaws which do not allow development of any kind in this area. Below is a music video with drone footage of the meadow.
The strongest protection is a Conservation Restriction held by a Land Trust.
Fading Beauties
Music Video with Drone
This was prepared by Dan & Marilyn Brielmann, Abington Residents.
e-Awakening.com, Gateways to Nature, Green Community Connections
All photos and videos taken at Meadow and Thompson Pond area by Dan Brielmann
“I am asking that you forward this information and an invitation to your Board, Committee, Commission members. The Planning Board will be holding a public hearing on the proposed zoning changes for the Air Base. It will be at Town Hall on Monday, September 18, 2023 at 6:00. This will be about 3 weeks before Town Meeting. We hope to also have this meeting hybrid so people can attend virtually.”
Sunrays on trail
Video of the meadow
The strongest protection is a Conservation Restriction held by a Land Trust.
The strongest protection is a Conservation Restriction held by a Land Trust.