Town Meeting approves Stevens Street lease
Published on October 24th, 2007
STONEHAM, MA - Town Meeting warily endorsed a proposal last Thursday night that authorizes Town Administrator David Ragucci to lease out 10,000 square feet of land at the Steven's Street recycling yard.
In addition, the assembly also passed a more general zoning measure that permits private entities to lease up to 20 percent of any municipal land, given that the use is consistent with the government function.
Addressing the latter article, Selectman Paul Rotondi assured the 133 citizens gathered in the Town Hall auditorium that the zoning article protected neighborhoods from any operations more detrimental than the municipal use.
Rotondi further explained that any specific lease plans - such as the Steven's Street yard proposal - needed to be approved by Town Meeting.
"At the last Town Meeting, in order to raise revenue, we passed a bylaw that allowed us to rent space in public buildings. The intent of this article is no more than to say, 'it doesn't have to be just a building,'" said Rotondi.
"The safeguard is that [any lease] has to be for the same use that it is now. The second thing is that it can't be detrimental to the neighborhood," the Selectman added.
However, several local residents rejected those assurances, maintaining that the town would never be able to hold-up its end of the bargain, as Stoneham already faced enough difficulty in enforcing its own bylaws.
Another contingent of opponents worried that any use on municipal lands, and specifically at Stevens Street or along town land near Spring Street, would be more detrimental than what currently exists.
"They're both nestled in residential areas. And you're going to [determine] what's detrimental to the area. I believe that anything is detrimental that's not a municipal use," said former Zoning Board member Bill Sullivan.
"We can have all the laws we want, but in all honesty, this town has a problem with enforcement," Ellen Road resident and Zoning Board member Jim Juliano later commented. "I have concerns that we will have areas all over town that will be spot zoned."
Town Administrator David Ragucci later attempted to assuage the assembly's fears that the blanket zoning authorization would lead to a slippery slope, where poorly maintained properties would be leased out to private companies that only worsened the situation.
According to the Town Administrator, he didn't envision the town leasing out many spaces within Stoneham, besides the Stevens Street yard, a portion of Spring Street, and an area near the Senior Center barn.
Insisting that any deal with a private entity would be carefully crafted to protect residential abutters, Ragucci further claimed that all revenues received through the agreements would be piped right back into cleaning-up and maintaining those parcels.
"The thought was to lease out a portion and use that money to beautify that parcel. I think everybody can agree that Steven's Street is not something Stoneham should be proud of," the Town Administrator remarked.
"It's the towns choice as to who leases that space and what their hours of operation are. You have to craft the lease so there would not be a use more detrimental to the neighborhood," added Ragucci, who estimated that $18,000 would be raised through the Stevens Street proposal.
Summer Street resident Kathleen Danielli, who questioned whether $18,000 was worth the likely impacts to local residents, later challenged Ragucci about the intent of the Stevens Street plan, pointing out that Max's Landscaping had been erecting fences and measuring space at the property recently.
Max's Landscaping, formerly located along Franklin Street, has left its former business headquarters to make room for a new Dunkin' Donuts.
According to Danielli, not only did Stoneham have a problem with enforcing its bylaws, but it was also remiss in taking care of its own property, permitting places like Stevens Street to fall into such a deplorable condition.
"The Town of Stoneham made it that way. If you rent out that corner, you're just creating more problems. If you rent that out to a business that works seven days a week, that's more detrimental," said Danielli, who pointed out that the recycling center was open just a handful of hours per week.
Ragucci later admitted that he erred in permitting Max's Landscaping to begin work at the site, explaining that the warrant article was being pitched to correct that mistake.
The Town Administrator further guaranteed that if the Stevens Street measure was approved, the proposal would go out to bid.
In order to persuade local residents that a company would not be able to ruin the area for an extended period of time, Selectman Frank Vallarelli later amended the motion to limit the Stevens Street lease to a five year period.
Prior to that amendment, numerous citizens questioned whether a ten year lease, as sought by the article, was appropriate.
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