Thursday, March 7, 2013
COD 02806 offers an update on the most recent Barrington Town Council meeting.
COD 02806 submitted this update on the March 4 Town Council meeting as a letter to the editor to Patch. 1. The Town Council meeting was preceded by a meeting of the Trustees of the Amey Tucker Spencer Trust Fund, which is actually the Town Council. They had an abbreviated agenda which they dispatched in short order. Gary Morse, always eloquent, raised several issues concerning the trust and the management thereof, and we would prefer if he gave you a rundown. It was clear that he was extremely well versed on trust matters and ramifications concerning use of the funds. 2. The Agenda for the Town Council meeting contained 30 items slated for discussion. The Council Chamber was packed. Item 13 was “Discussion with Senator Bates and …
Monday, March 4, 2013
COD 02806 refers Barrington residents to three meetings this week -- two tonight -- that involve affordable housing.
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Monday, March 4
There are three important town meetings this week that involve affordable housing. 1. On Monday, March 4, 2013 at 6:00 p.m. at the Town Hall the Trustees of the Spencer Trust are meeting to discuss the disposition of Trust funds. If you read Gary Morse’s letter on the Barrington Patch(2/26/13) entitled “Taking from the poor and unfortunate to give to….?” you are aware of serious questions concerning use of the money from the trust particularly as it relates to expenses to support affordable housing for non- residents of the Town. 2. The Town Council has invited Barrington state legislators to its regular meeting on March 4, 2013 at 6:30 to discuss the state Low and Moderate Income Housing Act and issues at the municipal level …
Friday, March 1, 2013
COD 02806 offers in a letter to the editor some history on the Sowams Nursery site proposed for a Barrington affordable housing development; the citizens group opposes the development.
On January 11, 2006 the Barrington Planning Board denied an application for a Major Subdivision consisting of 8 privately owned residences (“Osprey Landing”) on the Sowams Nursery property on Sowams road. This is the same property on which the East Bay Community Development Corporation (EBCDC) seeks to construct 48 units of low and moderate income rental housing. In their decision denying the “Osprey Landing” application, the Board (none of whose members are on the present Planning Board) included the following rationale for their denial: The current edition of the Barrington Comprehensive Community Plan (BCCP) dated December 5, 2011 is rife with references protecting the character*, special qualities and ecology of existing …
Friday, February 8, 2013
COD 02806 believes that there may be a bias by Barrington officials toward the affordable housing development proposed for Sowams Nursery.
The following was submitted to Patch as a letter to the editor. It was sent on Feb. 5 to the Barrington Planning Board, Technical Review Committee, and Housing Board of Trustees as a memorandom. It was signed by Kevin Doyle of Barrington. At the “informational” meeting hosted by the East Bay Community Development Corporation on November 27, 2012 a spokesman for the EBCDC stated that the “town” (of Barrington) was “for” the project proposed for the Sowams Nursery on Sowams Road in Barrington. The comment suggests a bias (in some quarters of responsible town government) favoring the EBCDC irrespective of the fact that no application has been submitted, no studies of critical matters have been undertaken by the EBCDC or town government, …
Friday, February 1, 2013
Here is an outline put together by COD 02806, the citizens' group opposed to 'Palmer Pointe', the affordable housing development proposed for Sowams Nursery in Barrington.
Submitted as a letter to the editor by Pam Van Ness for COD 02806: AN OUTLINE OF DISCUSSION AT THE PRE-APPLICATION CONFERENCE CONCERNING THE PROPOSED 48 UNIT RENTAL APARTMENT COMPLEX PROPOSED FOR THE SOWAMS NURSERY ON SOWAMS ROAD HELD ON JANUARY 15, 2013 A couple of public comments stand out. One person said the process appeared backwards. i.e. an application is submitted and the studies and evaluations follow. Why not have the evaluations first to determine if the project is appropriate and feasible? (we agree). Another person asked how Barrington would benefit if the project was allowed? A prolonged silence ensued. Many have asked “what can I do” or “how can I help” in the fight against this new development. There are several ways:
Manifold Witness
5:52 pm on Thursday, March 7, 2013
Thank you to COD 02806 for doing all this good work! Probably the three biggest concerns about “affordable” housing (aside from any behind-the-scenes wheeling and dealing)? 1. It needs to be subsidized in order to “count” and so, as a practical matter, the subsidizing is giving big financial benefits to the developers while putting big burdens on non-affordable taxpayers. 2. Barrington taxpayers … more ›