I would like to congratulate the Board of Survey and Planning for voting down the City Council's proposed zoning change Tuesday (May 23) night. The intent of the proposal, revitalizing the 128 corridor, is an important part of keeping the residential tax rate down. However, adding retail stores and restaurants to a commerical area as proposed by the new overlay district needs more than 21 days to be evaluated.
Councilor Robert Logan brought this issue before the board with no impact statement on traffic or the environment. In fact, he presented no study on why these changes are needed at all.
Major zoning changes should not be made unless the full impact, both positive and negative, is assessed. There has been no discussion about how allowing new restaurants with ample parking could negatively affect Moody Street. There has been no debate on how new retail stores would affect the current business district on Lexington Street. How about a discussion on how this development will affect our already overburdened sewer system?
The big issue, also not addressed, is the additional traffic that this would bring into the area. The argument is these businesses are intended for those working in the area and will not be a destination shopping and eating area. Councilor Logan used the Cummings property in Woburn as an example. The first store on that property that comes to my mind is Stapless. The parking lot is always full. I have never seen anyone walking from the neary offices. In fact, the councilor told us how he went there to shop at the Scout store.
Councilor Logan told the story that when the 128 corridor was first developed people thought the city was crazy for running water and sewer lines out to the area. Maybe I'm crazy too, but I think we should come up with a plan to improve the infrastructure to handle the additional traffic before we invite it in.