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Home My WebLink About2010-10-27-BLUPC-min Busa Land Use Proposal Committtee (BLUPC) Report of Forum Conducted by the Town of Arlington Arlington Town Hall Moderator, Carol Kowalski, Director of Planning & Community Development, for the Town of Arlington Date: Wednesday, October 27, 2010 Time: 7:00 p.m. – 8:50 p.m. Members of the BLUPC in attendance: Bill Dailey, David Horton, Ginna Johnson, Pam Shadley, Deborah Strod, and Al Zabin. Absent: Ric Fulop. The Forum: -There were 55± people in attendance, including 5± Lexington residents -The purpose of the forum was to provide Arlington residents with the opportunity to express their views regarding the reuse of the Busa land -34± people came to a microphone and expressed their views about the reuse of the land. Affordable Housing: Views expressed included: -keep any housing far away from the edge of the reservoir [the speaker expressed an interest in Community Supported Agriculture (CSA), too] -if there is a complex, that it allows nature to exist, too, keeping in mind the great variety of birds in the vicinity and the existence of Munroe Brook -consider the least dense housing as possible and away from reservoir (the speaker really prefers no housing) Recreation: Views expressed included: -no support for playing fields (density of recreational facilities there now on either side of the Arlington Reservoir) -do not build affordable housing there, but a farm is OK. Multi-use: -shared gardening space for educational use by students; educational/recreational gardening to teach people about food/gardening -make farm land more accessible to people using Arlington land; keep as a farm with open space for picnics and other “passive” recreational activities -the “Bigger Idea”: a multi-community opportunity for Arlington and Lexington to collaborate Open Space: Views expressed included: - strongly favor keeping the land as open space, as much as possible in its natural state, farming is OK to produce sustainable, local produce -keep unpaved to protect water resources; keep as farm; remember to prevent effluent from getting into water sources; prevent flooding (that housing might create) -create a green cemetery in combination with open space for birds and walking -keep CSA going -keep open space and the farm 1 -if developed, think of impact on Arlington Reservoir – wildlife corridor to Whipple Hill - maintain and enhance that corridor by not developing it -volunteers at farm add quality to life of family, keep as community farm -CSAs promote healthy lifestyle; community farm run by non-profit group (self- sustaining, town not pay for operation of the farm) -below a certain size (acreage), CSA might not be self-sustaining -a farm will benefit community as a whole; consider its proximity and relationship to the Arlington Reservoir; Arlington residents to work on the farm -CSA at Busa Farm now; keep as a community farm with educational opportunities for children; a farm correlates with state’s educational goals; would hate to see loss of farmland to recreation -has a CSA membership at Waltham and likes it; demand to join is huge; $600. membership fee -good place for adolescents to have a hands-on activity (son has worked there, always able to find peer volunteers) -provide people with hands-on work opportunities in an “urban” setting; benefits to community are vast -keep as farm and to demonstrate how food is produced; land is accessible by bike path, reservoir, Great Meadows, bus -customer of current farm; appreciates opportunity to bring children to farm stand; provide educational opportunities and volunteer opportunities for adults and children -David White, Arlington Conservation Commission: Arlington owns land along the farm (the reservoir)) and along Munroe Brook; loop trail that passes the edge of the farm; favorite birding spot; change would alter experience for Arlington residents -need for open space and healthier lifestyles; is a “backyard farmer” with 12 plots in Lexington; supplies fresh vegetables from small plots to people in the area; keep as farm and preserve Lexington’s and Arlington’s farming history -Chair of Open Space Committee: reservoir is an important resource; walking trails; Munroe Brook nearby; natural resources; reservoir is heavily visited and utilized; highlight of open space plan; maintain eco-system; involved with Arlington Land Trust, coordinating with Lexington; member of Busa Farm CSA; member of Menotomy Bird Club and walks there, see lots of birds -person who spoke is a member of the Board of Climate Action Committee and the Minuteman Regional Career and Technical High School Parent Association; consider unintended consequences, such as the displacement of water; sell food to schools(?); impact on water in Arlington and Lexington, if fields are put down -destroy history, if you remove farm and farm stand; bring to and erect a historical barn on the property (cost?); erect housing for the farm manager; no soccer field -Ed Starr, Chair of the Transportation Advisory Committee: change in use of land, be aware of traffic impact; recreation has a high impact on traffic; determine trip generation -Elisabeth Carr Jones, member of Transportation Advisory Committee: has been in contact with Lexington’s town engineer regarding traffic conditions in the 2 vicinity of the land, in particular, Westminster Avenue and Lowell Street; will give us reports; Lexington to coordinate with Arlington -birds in the vicinity of the Arlington reservoir and Busa land are ecologically connected -likes the farm and the continued use of the land as a farm -Arlington residents would be prepared to volunteer on a farm David Horton, Recorder 3