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Newly
Filed Legislation will Help Methuen
Methuen Councilor Ken Willette
(03/06/07)
 I recently filed legislation
before the Methuen City Council mandating that we receive
the same informational pack-et that the Community
Development Board is provided prior to any joint public
hearing to discuss major re-zoning initiatives. The
resolution, which passed overwhelmingly by a vote of 8 to
1 during the first reading, was recently scheduled for a
workshop. Since the duly elected council is charged with
approving major rezoning measures, which have
long-lasting implications on overall quality-of-life for
neighbors and taxpayers alike, it makes sense to keep our
legislative body in the loop.
As many people have readily confirmed over the years,
timely information is a powerful tool to level the
playing field and ensure good faith options for both
elected officials and citizens at large. Before this
resolution was offered, councilors only received the
legal language authorizing a zoning amendment and a map,
which revealed little, if any, information regarding the
true intentions of the developer.
This absence of concrete information was clearly apparent
at the recent joint public hearing to analyze the
proposed Lowe’s site, straddling both Salem, N.H.
and Methuen. City councilors were left in the dark about
the corporate interest of Lowe’s to locate a store
on Route 28, the likely presence of delivery trucks
during non-operational hours and the adverse impact of
expanded traffic on secondary roads in the immediate
vicinity.
I am automatically very leery of approving any zoning
change that would directly benefit our economic rivals in
Salem, N.H., especially at the expense of mom-and-pop
stores in Methuen. But any rezoning issue is a
non-starter in my book when I have not received the
proper background packet in order to render an
intelligent and constructive decision on behalf of my
constituents. We must resolve as many lingering problems
affiliated with a proposed project as possible before
final rezoning approval is reached. Even during
preliminary stages of the rezoning process, the lines of
communication between a developer and the Methuen City
Council must be open, inclusive and transparent in order
to address ancillary issues before they fester.
Speaking of the importance of being informed, what a
great victory the residents of Forest Street achieved by
defeating a proposed 40R district in their neighborhood.
I was approached by a number of residents with their
legitimate concerns about the approval of 35-40 housing
units on a mere six acres of land. To their collective
credit, they mobilized the troops, contacted their
district and at-large councilors, spoke at the public
hearing at the Searles Building, and never wavered in
their opposition.
The developer has since removed the possibility of a 40R
district on Forest Street, and is seriously considering
scaling back the total number and density of housing
units. Again, kudos to the Forest Street area residents
for their unity.
Ken Willette is an at-large
city councilor in Methuen. You can email him at kennethwillette@comcast.net
*Send your questions comments to ValleyPatriot@aol.com
The March 2007 Edition
of the Valley Patriot
The Valley Patriot is a Monthly
Publication.
All Contents (C) 2007, Valley Patriot, Inc.
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