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Community Corner

Letter to Melrose Neighbors from the Friends of Stoneham

Dear Melrose Neighbors and City officials

I am forwarding the notice sent to all members of the Friends of Stoneham to alert you timely to the start of the ZBA hearing on the comprehensive permit of the Corcoran Group for the Commons at Weiss Farm.

As our neighbor we are not only concerned about the community of Stoneham but how this project which is TOO BIG FOR STONEHAM will create serious soil erosion, flooding and sewerage problems on Franklin Street and surrounding neighborhoods of Melrose.  There will be significant traffic problems on Franklin Street which will cause acute transportation problems to both Melrose and Stoneham residents attempting to traverse this street and reach routes 128 and 93 not only during peak workday hours but also weekends when you attempt to worship at the churches on Franklin St and neighboring places of worship. We need to unite and voice our concerns to the ZBA and Mass Housing that the Corcoran Groups application should be soundly denied..
Remember it has only just begun to stop this travesty.

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> Date: Mon, 14 Jul 2014 19:37:33 -0700
> From: friendsofstoneham@yahoo.com
> Subject: Zoning Board of Appeals meeting Thursday, July 24, at 8PM in the Town Hall Auditorium
> To: FriendsOfStoneham@yahoo.com
> Friends and Neighbors,
> On June 30, John M Corcoran & Company filed its Application for Comprehensive Permit on the Weiss Farm Apartment Project with Stoneham’s Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA).  

> In spite of efforts by the Town to meet and cooperate with the developer, no substantial changes have been made to the Project since it was originally filed with MassHousing on October 2, 2013.   If the Application is approved by the ZBA in its present form, the developer will be able to impose this massive Project on our Town over riding many of our by-laws. 

> Within 30 days of June 30, ZBA must open a public hearing on the Project which will last 180 days.  After the public hearing is over, the ZBA must make a decision on the Application.  Its decision will be to approve the project, approve it with conditions or deny it altogether.

> What can we do about it?    Attend all ZBA public meetings!!!   While it is not possible to know which meetings are more important than others, your attendance at any and all meetings will be observed and it will send a huge message that you are interested in the outcome.  Please attend every meeting that you can.

> The first ZBA public meeting will be at 8 PM on Thursday, July 24, the Town Hall Auditorium (http://www.stoneham-ma.gov/sites/stonehamma/files/file/file/board_of_appeals_july_24.pdf).  Put that meeting on your calendar and make a special effort to attend.

> See you there!
> Friends of Stoneham

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