To The Residents of Lakeville…

Thank You.

Several days have passed since the largest Town Meeting in the history of Lakeville and upon reflection, a few amazing things have happened here.

Over 1400 voters engaged in a process that, at its core, is the foundation of our democracy. Some of us take for granted the democratic process, and from time to time disconnect from it for a variety of reasons. On October 18th we had engagement. Although passage of the rezoning article required two-thirds approval, the vote (727 NO – 704 YES) was for all practical purposes split, the fact that such a number of residents were involved speaks volumes.

In the months leading up to this Town Meeting a small group of residents concerned about the detrimental effects to the town of this rezoning proposal, and the Sysco operation, started to meet and formed a group called "Lakeville Residents for Responsible Growth". They engaged with town officials and Sysco, were represented at every public meeting, asked lots of questions and did their homework.

Meeting one night a week in a garage, this group researched and provided information about this project to anyone and everyone who wanted to listen. They worked countless hours formulating strategy and executing that strategy in a constructive manner. They operated on a very small budget. With their talent, good old fashion Yankee ingenuity and diverse backgrounds they exemplify a cohesive group that was truly more than the sum of its parts. They had synergy. They were called scary, and they were.

Well, in the view of many, the town reacted properly to a proposed change that would have fundamentally weakened the fiber of our community and set us in a direction that most didn’t agree was a direction we wanted to go in. The town exhibited understanding, compassion and vision. The town understood and believed that we can do better.

So, now the challenge is to work to accomplish exactly that, something better.

The commitment this group has made is not to pack up and go home, because this is our home. The commitment is to engage. To engage in conversations and constructive involvement, with all parties, in an effort to guide the development of the hospital property and help produce something we will all be proud of. Our work is not over, just redirected.

Wish us luck!

We Can Do Better! Video

Finance Committee member not buying Sysco bologna...and then some.

Of the thirteen elected town officials that make up the Selectmen, Planning Board and Finance Committee, who will be asked for their recommendation at Town meeting, only one individual had enough get up and go, to get up and go.

Norman Orrall paid an unannounced visit to the Sysco Norton site at 3:00AM recently and parked on the road in front of their facility for one hour and observed. As reported in the Middleboro Gazette (Oct 7) Mr. Orrall said, “I spent about an hour, from three to four, which is when I’ve been told they would be working to get trucks on the road. It’s not something I would want to live near. So, in good conscience, I can’t support it because of that.”

It would seem that the 400’ wide building doesn’t provide the sound buffer that Sysco’s Chuck Fraser has told us it would. The same argument he is using for the proposal in Lakeville. It’s safe to assume that Mr. Orrall heard more than, “nothing but crickets,” as Fred Casinelli told those in attendance at a recent Planning Board meeting.

Mr. Orrall observed what we have been saying for months, “you wouldn’t want to live near this.” At his 3:00AM visit he observed significant lighting concerns, noise, from trucks, truck air breaks, and back up alarm beeping. The reality is Sysco could wrap this entire property with a sound wall and it won’t be acceptable.

As a member of the Finance Committee, Mr. Orrall certainly has an understanding of the financial condition of the town and the real estimated contributions in new revenue from Sysco.Like many Mr. Orrall voted to approve the TIF, but unlike many he then did his due diligence. It’s truly unfortunate most of our town officials didn’t feel the need to do the same.

He studied the revenue side and determined that the Mixed Use proposal would have produced the same revenues as this project. The Mixed Use proposal was much less intrusive to the community and would have actually brought value to many residents.

However, we've been all through that. The time is upon us, we are at that fork in the road...take this town in the right direction.Vote NO on Monday.



On a personal note…

There have been many occasions in my thirty years here in town when the town has been faced with difficult decisions; we have usually made the right choice. The character of our town is much more than the trees on the side of the road, the open farmland, the beautiful waters and vistas.

Character starts from what’s within each of us. Character is measured by how compassionate we are to our family, our friends and our neighbors. Character is reflected in not what we say, but by what we do. Character can’t be bought and sold, either you have it or you don’t.

I moved here thirty years ago and raised a family, contributed to the community and have been blessed in many ways, and I’m proud to call Lakeville home. I have been involved in many town decisions over those years and have seen first hand the character of this community.

Monday evening we will see if the passing of years and our growth have changed our character. Change not measured by what we see outside, but by who we are inside.

This bog was created in an attempt not to alienate, but to educate. I hope you have found it to be that. I am saddened that through these last months I have lost some friends, however, I take some degree of comfort knowing that I have made many more new ones.

So, in the final analysis we will decide the future direction of our town as we have done for generations. I have every confidence that the character that has molded this town over those generations is still alive and living in Lakeville.

Peace.

Location…Location…Location

If there were 80 or 90 acres in an industrial park with good highway access in Lakeville where Sysco could relocate to, this might make sense. However, 68 acres on Main Street doesn’t.

So…let’s look at the site of the Industrial C Overlay District and the proposed Sysco distribution center…There is a lot here, its important stuff, and trust me it’s quicker to read than it was to write!

Main Street, Lakeville…As you enter our town from the north and encounter the largest food service distribution warehouse and trucking operation in New England operating 24 hours a day, I’m sure we can all agree it won’t give anyone who passes by that ‘welcome home’ feel, unless you live in an industrial park. For the distance of the entire length of the property frontage, which stretches ¼ mile, you will drive by a warehouse building up to 50 feet tall, an employee parking lot and yes, possibly a waste water treatment site.

In most towns the development of Main Street is done in such a way as to bring value to its residents. A place in town to go to that serves a purpose to its residents; a town center atmosphere, usually some combination of commercial and cultural that generates commerce and enhances quality of life. An area that encourages activity not discourages it.

Not with this proposal. Our most valuable land resource will be used for a 24/6 warehouse and trucking operation! This will provide no value for anyone; you won’t go there for anything…on the contrary it will be a place to stay away from. Apparently our town leaders don’t have a problem with this, maybe that’s because they don’t have any vision. How could anyone with the least amount of foresight not see this mistake? A former short-term Selectman Chuck Evirs even went so far as to publicly compare Sysco to the Pilgrim nuclear power plant in Plymouth, and SEMASS in Rochester! Yikes! The kicker is, he supports this project!

I would think most Lakeville residents would want to raise the bar some from this subterranean level. As an example, a quick look at the new Meditech proposal in Freetown highlights the following: 800 – 1000 NEW professional jobs (not 75), 128,000 sq. ft. office building (not 650.000 sq. ft. warehouse operating 24/6), No TIF…that’s correct they will pay full tax rate (not 43% tax reduction for 13 years). http://www.southcoasttoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=201010050313 Gee, who would have guessed!

For quite some time our town leaders have looked at the Hospital property as a liability rather than an asset that should be developed properly to enhance the appeal of our town. Rather they have continually looked at this as a problem, not an opportunity.

The result of this Overlay District if approved will be to remove all the possibilities for reasonable, responsible growth on Main Street and shatter a positive vision for our town’s future development. Don’t let that happen.

The Infamous Dump Site…We have repeatedly heard some town officials misinform and scare residents regarding the town’s exposure for clean up costs of the former dump site on the property if Sysco were denied. They have portrayed this as a toxic waste sight that “no one else would ever pay to clean up if Sysco went away”, and “the town could get stuck with the clean up cost.”

After extensive study the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, in a report to National Development, dated May 24, 2006 concluded the following.

“Observations during test pitting identified solid waste consisting primarily of cans, bottles, rags, paper, plastic and construction and demolition debris including concrete, brick, asphalt, wood, roofing shingles, bulky waste items (appliances), flooring materials and scrap metal. No observation of medical waste was made during site reconnaissance exploration work.” The report goes on to say, we have “concluded there is sufficient data to indicate that the Landfill does not pose a significant threat to the surrounding environment and nearby sensitive areas.” The corrective action recommended is to excavate and remove solid waste material down to granular soils.

Unlike what some would have you believe, your hair won’t turn green and a third eye won’t pop out from the center of your forehead from contact with this dump site.

Currently the estimated cost for site clean up, including building demolition is $5M. That is part of the ‘$20M property purchase and related cost.’ If Sysco doesn’t purchase this property it will still be developed. Don’t believe the paranoia that this will sit vacant for 20 years. National has owned the property for eight years and has had opportunities that didn’t work out for a variety of reasons, not the least of which was a global financial meltdown.

Contrary to public comments made by Janet Black, our town Assessor and Nancy Yeatts our Selectwoman regarding the town getting stuck with the clean up costs; Planning Board Chairman Jim Marot has discounted these claims as false and has explained that there are no circumstances that would necessitate the town to pay for the clean up if it didn’t choose to.

The 40B Housing Scare…Again some of our town leaders would have you believe if not Sysco; it could turn into a 40B housing complex. First of all Lakeville has its percentage of qualified units which means that we are in a position to be able to refuse additional projects of this type...they know that.

Secondly, a project of that nature would not be cost effective for a developer on this site. It would not make any financial sense, and consequently just not happen.

End of discussion.

Gridlock on Main Street…The installation of four new traffic lights from the Rte. 495 ramps to Bridge Street will be synchronized with each other so; we’re told traffic will just flow through the area. Glad to hear that. The addition of close to 460 truck trips every day, which averages one every two minutes for the time period from 3:00AM to 6:00PM, was starting to concern me.

Depending on what time of the day you are in the area you could have the pleasure of experiencing gridlock Lakeville style from a combination of the MBTA Station traffic, the largest apartment complex in Lakeville, Kensington Court, normal traffic from existing business activity in the area, and now tractor trailers everywhere! That’s what will be waiting for you on Main Street, after you navigate the backup coming off the Rte. 495 exit ramp.

Let’s not forget the early morning and afternoon bus routes that travel in this part of town and the children standing at those bus stops and traveling on those buses. As we turn the calendar and enter the winter season, imagine all this activity in the dark!

Size Matters…Forget about everything else for a minute and just look at the inappropriate scale and size of this monster. By Sysco’s own building standards and past practice, this is too big for the site. When compared to every other Sysco ‘cookie cutter’ building around the country there are none this size on a lot this small! None, Nada, Zero, Zip. As a point of reference, this build out is comparable to the entire Galleria mall complex, including their parking lots! Think about that for a second.

When asked why they would be cramming an operation this size on a lot this small, Sysco Project Manager, Thomas Bond responded that this project did present some “challenges”, and that in this area of the northeast it was very difficult to find a big enough piece of land with highway access. So…jam and cram it in, that’s what the Overlay District will allow them to do; don’t let it happen.

Stop the madness…vote NO on October 18th. We can do better!

If it’s About the Money $$$$

If you think the future of our town, your neighbor’s financial well-being, your quality of life and the environmental impact of Sysco building in Lakeville is off set by the money the town will receive, then let’s take a good look at the money.

An analysis of what Selectmen Nancy Yeatts called a “once in a lifetime opportunity” reveals the true bottom line financial benefit to the Town of Lakeville from the Sysco proposal.

Breathe deep, strap yourself in…here we go! Let’s start at the beginning…

The TIF give-a-way…New “estimated tax revenue” based on the spread sheet developed and provided for the TIF proposal totals $4,319,095 in new tax revenue to Lakeville over the 13 year agreement. This would start in 2012 and go through the year 2025…That’s an average of $332,238 per year in tax revenue. Less than 2% of our current budget.

Keep in mind that this agreement is front end loaded, meaning that the first years produce the lowest return to the town. The result of this for the first 5 or 6 years could actually put he town in a negative cash situation if cost of support services exceed the small tax payment. This money will go to police, fire and municipal services. Our Public Safety budgets will have to increase to support the negative impact and activity that SYSCO would bring. The end result will be a zero net gain. None of this money will find its way into the classroom. We know in speaking to Public Safety officials in Freetown about the affect Stop & Shop has had on their police, ambulance and fire departments that these added services and costs are significant, contrary to what you may have been told.

On the other side of the TIF math equation let’s look at what was given away. A 43% discount off the 6th lowest tax rate in the 47 communities in Bristol and Plymouth counties. Sysco would pay a property tax rate of $5.83 per thousand, which is absolutely unparalleled.
In addition, Sysco would enjoy a 100% Personal Property discount on an estimated $10,000,000 spend.
These two items total an estimated savings to Sysco of $3,349,605!

As a point of comparison, Sysco paid $280,000. in property tax to the Town of Norton this year. Based on the TIF spreadsheet it won’t be until the year 2022 that Lakeville will collect in excess of that…for a building that would be 34% larger!

That was a good deal!

Those 75 “Lakeville jobs”… Based on the signed TIF agreement with Lakeville, those 75 jobs are to be offered to “qualified residents of Lakeville and the Greater New Bedford Economic Target Area (ETA), within (5)years following the Start Date.” The start date is defined as the date they move into a finished facility. The ETA is made up of eight communities with a population totaling 185,000 people…Lakeville has 9800 residents.
These are not nor have ever been exclusive “Lakeville jobs”, and they don’t have to be filled until 2017.

The Industrial “C” Overlay District and what it will cost…The final proposal for the Overlay District includes five lots along Main Street in addition to the Hospital property. These were added at the request of Sysco, although they refuse to explain what they intend to use them for; they suggest possible waste water treatment site or possible expansion of some sort (parking lots?).

If Sysco purchased these properties they would effectively remove the possible development opportunity and tax revenue to the Town that these properties might some day bring. Selectman Maksy in meeting minutes from a BOS meeting on April 7, 2010 said, a development like this belongs in an industrial park and doesn’t need valuable road frontage, which is retail frontage…He was correct in April…wonder why he changed his mind?

The Neighboring Property Value Debate… Believe it or not, some would actually have you believe that a 650,000 square foot building in your back yard, 50 feet tall and two football fields long won’t decrease your property value! Those people would also tell you that 150 trucks running, loading and unloading, back up alarms sounding, the smell of diesel fuel 24 hours a day – 6 days a week also won’t decrease your property value!

Well, if you believe that you can stop reading now. However, if you think on some level the 202 homes within ¼ mile of this proposal will lose value, you should realize that you will pay the difference. Quite simply the loss in value, which collectively will be in the tens of millions of dollars, will be spread out over all the taxpayers in town to make up.

In addition, remaining property owners could and will file for tax abatements and their payments to the town will decrease…guess what that means! Bingo, congratulations, you pay again.

Massachusetts Department of Revenue Statistics…We understand that the Lakeville Hospital property should be developed. But development for development sake is dumb. It must be done with foresight and analysis that proves to make economic sense for the Town, not like this proposal.

With increase in CIP (Commercial, Industrial, and Personal Property) percentage of revenue that a community collects we know that the following will happen on a percentage basis:

• Property values will decrease
• Tax rates will increase
• Spending on education will decrease

These analysis and more can be researched on the Massachusetts D.O.R. website.

Opportunity Lost…The town of Lakeville is no different than most towns in America in 2010. The financial hardship that we are facing in our professional and personal life is no different in the public sector. Expenses rise and revenues decline. The economy will eventually recover and we will enjoy better economic times.

If this proposal is allowed to proceed, the opportunity for smart development, responsible growth, in the northern part of Lakeville will be gone…forever.

Vote NO on October 18th…We can do better.

Planning Board Completes Public Hearing…but were they listening?

Many questions go unanswered…

At meetings held on September 14th and 21st, the Planning Board heard from concerned residents regarding the creation of an Industrial C Overlay District for SYSCO.

These meetings filled the Public Library meeting room to capacity. The meeting on the 14th allowed little more than one hour for questions, many of which were never directly answered but taken “under advisement” by the board. At the meeting on the 21st SYSCO brought with them two hired guns, a.k.a. consultants. The first spoke on the plan for storm water run off, and the other, an appraiser told the abutters and people who live in close proximity of this proposal not to worry about their property values, they may even go up!

Anyone who has been involved in these meetings and discussions knows…this is so much more than a zoning change. This is a change that will open the door into a very dangerous period for the town of Lakeville. We are truly at a fork in the road in terms of how our town will be developed. There will be no going back.

Do we throw away the hundreds of hours of hard work done by experts to develop our Master Plan?

Do we abandon our vision of appropriate development for Main Street in the northern part of town?

Do we open our doors to a company that has one of the largest carbon footprints imaginable?

Do we sacrifice our neighbors, their quality of life, and their financial future?

Do we forever change the very character of our town that made it so attractive for many of us to live here, raise our families here and call this home?

Do we loose our souls?

Do we do all this for the small gain in tax revenue that will be spent in town services to support this very development?

Nothing will be improved, and no one will enjoy a better quality of life. None of the challenges we face as a result of these difficult financial times will be overcome. There will be no net gain…for anyone, except possibly some self-absorbed selfish individuals willing to support this fiasco for some personal gain, in the shallow hope of feathering their nest in a business relationship.

So…Who’s right and who’s wrong?

The facts speak for themselves. I hope the citizens of Lakeville do their homework and show up for the test on October 18th at the Special Town Meeting.

The choice couldn’t be clearer…Be Heard…VOTE NO!

Citizens Group Formed

LAKEVILLE RESIDENTS FOR RESPONSIBLE GROWTH

Who we are: A dedicated and diverse group of Lakeville property owners and town residents who have come together to provide feedback and opinion on matters concerning the towns long term development. Ultimately, we want to ensure that the next generation of Lakeville families enjoy the same quality of life enjoyed by previous generations.

Our Current Focus: Reviewing and working with all parties regarding the possible development of the former Lakeville Hospital property and the current proposal by SYSCO Boston.

Our Current Opinion on Development Proposal: We feel that SYSCO is a very respectable and well run company, and the opportunity for that distribution center to relocate in some town would be a positive development. Based on numerous factors that we have researched to date, we do not feel that the site chosen in Lakeville is right and in fact would be very detrimental and negatively change the character of our town forever.

How to Contact Us: Email LRRG2010@hotmail.com. We encourage participation from any Lakeville resident who would like to get involved with us and be part of our team. Please join us.

"Be the change you wish to see in the world..." -Gandhi

Planning Board Public Hearing Date Set

Through a series of three Planning Board meetings over the past couple of months a document to create an Industrial Overlay District for the hospital property to accommodate SYSCO has been developed.

The time line and process going forward will consist of one or two Planning Board “public hearings”, currently scheduled for September 14, and if needed a continuation on September 21. These meetings will be an opportunity for residents to voice their opinion of this rezoning and their position on the appropriateness of SYSCO on that property before Town Meeting. At the conclusion of these meetings the Planning Board will conduct an internal vote to approve or disapprove this article when it is presented at Town Meeting.

Town Meeting is scheduled for Monday October 18, and a vote will be taken to approve or disapprove this new Industrial-C Overlay District. If approved, another vote will be taken to approve or disapprove of changing the zoning of the hospital site, which is currently zoned under a Mixed Use Development District, to this new Industrial-C Overlay District.

In a nutshell this approach, to create an Overlay District, was taken on the advice of town counsel, and at the request of SYSCO, because both parties knew that this project could not go forward under our existing Industrial zoning by-laws. It is simply too big! Rather than force SYSCO to apply to the Board of Appeals for five or six variances, that could all be appealed if granted, this was the most expeditious route. In essence, throw out our existing Industrial Zoning Bylaws, in place to protect our residents, and create a nightmare Zoning District to accommodate SYSCO.

There are many significant differences between our current Industrial zoning bylaws and this Overlay District. Intensity Regulations, including lot coverage, building height, set back distances have all been changed. Existing Density Bonus calculations have been eliminated.

Not to be missed with discussion of the zoning legalese, is the practical matter of the largest food warehouse and trucking operation in New England being located on Main Street in Lakeville, adjacent to the most densely populated area of town, and its negative effect on our residents and the town.

Please plan to attend these meetings, voice your opinion and vote!

PHASE II - REZONING

Well the TIF has been approved and in doing so the town has moved the process to the next stage, which is to see if SYSCO can live with our zoning bylaws and build and operate their business within those bylaws. If so, the town will be asked to approve or disapprove a rezoning change for that property from mixed use to industrial.

An article (Middleboro Gazette 6/24) recounts a Planning Board meeting on June 22, of which no notification or agenda was made public that included SYSCO and Selectmen to discuss an overview of how the project would be developed.

Two major points on concern from the article about that meeting:

1. This project is too big for the site. The proposed building and pavement cover more than the 50% allowed in our bylaws. The 100 foot set back between residential properties and the site would have to be reduced to accommodate this project.
2. Planning Board Chairman, Jim Marot apparently heard something no one else did at the Town Meeting. The article quotes Jim as saying, “I clearly heard them say they want to have SYSCO in there”. With all due respect to Jim, what the town said was that they approve the tax reduction for this proposal, and the process should move forward to the next stage and determine if SYSCO, with a zoning change could work The town DID NOT say to throw our current zoning bylaws out the window to accommodate this project. In fact, the moderator was very on point in not allowing discussion other than the TIF, saying that all the other concerns would be addressed during the rezoning process.

Once again, there are unpublicized meetings and an apparent rush to push the largest and most disruptive development the town has ever had through the process to meet a time line dictated by SYSCO.

We have to do better!

SPECIAL TOWN MEETING - JUNE 7th 6:30PM

A special town meeting with take place BEFORE the annual town meeting to approve or reject a TIF (tax increment financing) for Sysco to build in Lakeville. A positive vote would move the project along; a negative vote could possibly kill the project. The meeting will be held at Apponequet High School. BE SURE TO GET THERE ON TIME - 6:30pm- FOR THIS IMPORTANT VOTE.

Also, don't forget THURSDAY, MAY 27, 7pm - Public Outreach Meeting at Lakeville Library for more information on the proposed project and the TIF.

Be sure to pass these important dates along to all the Lakeville residents you know.

Overview

Your thoughts about Sysco developing a new warehouse and distribution center in Lakeville might depend on where in town you live. Folks in the southern part of town might think the development and tax revenue are just what the town needs, and the negative impact of this operation will be greatly outweighed by the revenue opportunities. On the other hand, if you live in the northern part of town you might think quite differently about the impact, and see this operation as completely inappropriate for either location under consideration. Certainly, the closer you live the greater the impact, however, we are all citizens of Lakeville and we should look at this as such.

Consideration to convert Lakeville Country Club into a 24/7 distribution center is completely ludicrous, but I guess stranger things have happened. The former Lakeville Hospital property at first glance might seem more appropriate, however, the number of residents in close proximity of that property make it also unacceptable. Most of us are not familiar with a warehousing and distribution operation of this size, that’s easy to understand, since there are not many of this size in all of New England. Sysco Boston, as they call themselves, is the largest food distributor in all of New England.

• No matter how you dress it up, this is a food warehouse and trucking operation larger than any other in New England.
  
  
• We’re told they will register approximately 300 pieces of equipment (tractors and trailers) in the town of Lakeville. Yes, that will generate additional tax revenue, but these trucks will also travel on our town roads, even though Sysco will tell you most will enter and exit Rte 495.
  
  
• We’re told on any given day, 150 trucks will leave in the morning and return after they make deliveries.
  
  
• The products they deliver will be brought into their facility by countless outside truckers 24/7.
  
  
• They load their trucks during the evening. This means safety back up alarms at approximately 100 decibels will sound all night long on every truck they back to the loading dock and then back into position in their yard. It also means that the refrigeration units on each trailer will run all night to keep their product frozen.
  
  
• The lighting of their warehouse and parking area will resemble that of a shopping mall, all night long.
  
  
• They will have a truck maintenance facility on site, have you ever seen or heard one of those?
  
  
• They will store and pump tens of thousands of gallons of fuel.
  
  
• They will most likely cool their giant refrigeration units with an ammonia based cooling system. Ammonia can kill you, and an ammonia leak requires neighborhood evacuation.

These are some issues that cannot be disputed. These, and more, are inherent to their business. An operation of this size and scope belongs in an industrial park setting, which is why industrial parks exist, not at either of these properties under consideration.

As a resident of Lakeville for close to 30 years I have supported the development of business in our town and think our industrial base has grown with a planned, well thought out strategy. I am conflicted with the opportunity for revenue for the town, versus the change in our neighborhoods and community that would result if Sysco were to move in. However, at some point I believe a more appropriate use of our land resources will surface and development that is more conducive to these locations will result. The current economic condition of our town, and every other town, might cause us to act in a way that we normally wouldn’t.

We need to be ever mindful that some decisions once enacted can’t be reversed, and a change like this for better or worse, will be permanent. If you feel as I do, that this is an inappropriate operation for either of these sites, please join with me and other concerned residents. Email syscolakeville@gmail.com or call me at 508-612-4726.

-Nelson Pratt