The Department of Housing and Community Development(DHCD) has informed the developers for the Lincoln Park parcel that the plan to locate 57 single family market rate homes on the site does not pass muster with the 40R Smart Growth statute or the town's bylaw. They have not approved the plan. The developers and town are left to come up with a new plan that meets the criteria. The DHCD makes some suggestions for resolving the conflict in their letter which I will post here when I have a chance.
Any development on this site will require a substantial investment for infrastructure before any housing can be built. That may be the sticking point from the developer's standpoint at this time.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
DHCD pans Lincoln Park plan
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Bill, how come the developers didn't look into the 40R Smart Growth statute and town bylaws BEFORE they even drafted a plan, or did they and did not "understand" what they needed to comply with?
Weren't there a couple of developers that had completed their projects and then the residents found the developers had not complied with the town's regulations and then the residents were left short? I think that happened at one of the recent Town Meetings. They apparently weren't "aware" of what they were supposed to do. I think Mr. Savastano then set up guidelines for future developers, if I'm not mistaken.
How do we come across with developers that don't get it right the first time? Isn't this costing us money in some way, shape, or form?
Even the current turbine project is now being revised. What monies have been wasted on all these projects that either never get off the ground, are found lacking in some manner, or are not thoroughly researched, maybe?
I'm curious how come wetlands weren't discovered the first time around with the turbines. How many surveys have we already had to relocate the South turbine? More than one, I think.
As I have questioned many times before in different forums, what effect has the well connected so called developers had in this doomed to failure project? Members of my family have lived in this area for a number of generations and I recall some of their stories about how the Union Street Railroad had that acreage filled to build the amusement park. As in landfill in what was in part swamps and marshland. And we plan on building high density housing there?
Find another way to use this land. What about building a new school? Dartmouth is growing so fast we will probably need a new high school in a few years. At least it would be centrally located. The present high school could be a middle school.
Just thinking...
Dartmouth school population has been steady or declining for the last thirty years.
The town doesn't own this land. It is privately held, the underlying zoning is commercial with a Smart Growth overlay district.
What about the plan to build a half shell for concerts at Lincoln Park?
I've never heard that one, but it sounds like an excellent idea if it could have gone forward. Dartmouth was on the map with Lincoln Park. Possibly a half-shell could have restored some of that visibility, along with other recreational facilities built on the land?
Now we just have stalled or postponed "activity," word used lightly here, until the next installment of the Lincoln Park Smart Growth Overlay District. Why is it anything that is worthwhile or looks like a sure thing (compost facility possibly built until bylaws discovered forbade that) never comes to fruition, although I would hardly call the LPSGOD either of the above. We don't need any more new development, but tell that to our officials.
Now the former Lincoln Park grounds are an eyesore and a breeding ground for who knows what (I think of rats???)
Just my opinion.
The town does not own the Lincoln Park property. The town cannot prevent owners of properties from developing them in accordance with the zoning or in the case of Lincoln Park, state laws.
Just out of curiosity, when Lincoln Park was no more, could the town have bought the property from the owners then?
I know the town does not own the Lincoln Park property. COULD the town have bought it at the time Lincoln Park closed?
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