Monday night, February 2nd, the Winchester Planning Board confused and unsure of themselves, continued on with the public hearing of the Planned Residential Development of Rindge contractor Robert Van Dyke. Despite making major, last minute changes to his plans, calling for individual septics and wells, instead of a community water supply and septic design, as well as changing the phase plans of the development, the boards chairperson, Margaret Sharra took it upon herself to continue the hearings despite objections from other board members and the public. As the board went through the list of 27 conditions Van Dyke was to meet to get final approval, it became apparent to everyone in the room they were in way over their heads and should have postponed the meeting until they had sought advice from town council; but instead muddled on and at times seeked advice from not only the applicants attorney; but from the applicant himself.
Chairperson Margaret Sharra continued to ignore the facts that Van Dyke had NOT met numerous conditions and in fact was asking the board to waive several conditions they had set forth. This whole process has turned into a fiasco as the board continues to be swayed and influenced by Margaret Sharra and continues to grant Van Dyke more time to do what he was required to do last year. Is it any wonder why the town has been sued over this ? How many law suits will have to filed before the Planning Board enforces it's own regulations and shuts this project down? We ask that every citizen of Winchester attend the upcoming meeting on February 16th at 7:00pm at the Town Hall and judge for yourself if the Planning Board is acting in the best interest of the town.
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6 comments:
The board should have postponed the hearing to a later date and sought advice from town council before continuing; especially after Van Dyke submitted new plans with major changes just hours before the meeting. How in hell does the board and the public have the chance to review the plans and be able to ask questions and make informed decisions if the board's chairperson is going to continue to ignore her duties and pander to this applicant time and time again?
Why didn't they rescind their conditional approval which was based on 2 years of hearings, testimony and plans developed and submitted previously? Why didn't they shut him down for not complying with the conditions they set, to wit: No state septic approval for the designs he submitted to the board or for the community water supply he was to install? No joint use agreement from Public Service who sent a letter to the board stating he was not to start construction without approval from them. Van Dyke did not meet the board's demand for erosion control, despite spending more than two weeks in October, excavating, grading and removing vegetation on the site under the guise of doing just that. His refusal to meet their demand that he build and pave the complete road and install all water lines, septics and all underground utilities first; before starting to build any homes. Not only didn't he comply with those conditions set forth by the board; he came before them and lied that he had a joint use agreement with PSNH and only after being questioned by board member Jack Marsh repeatedly,did he admit he has just signed an application. He also asked the board to allow him to waive several conditions they had set forth back in April of last year, clearly against their own regulations. Hell, he hasn't even had a proper survey of his property done with the boundaries clearly marked yet, something that should have been done BEFORE he started. This whole process has been a farce from the beginning. Just how many other applicants that have come before this board been given this many chances to do things right and just how many times is this board going to bend over backwards for this guy?
Every citizen in Winchester should attend the next scheduled hearing on Monday, February 16th at 7:00pm at the town hall and see for yourselves what's been going on the past two years and why several us have sued the town ( planning board ) over their conduct in this matter.
These people are out of control. They allow some who come before them so much leeway and then others they make jump through hoops. I guess it all depends on whether you catch them on a bad hair day or not. It would seem to me that the selectmen should be watching this group carefully if their actions are causing the town to be sued. From the sounds of it their dealings with this VanDyke isn't kosher and we taxpayers are going to end up footing the bill if they don't get their stuff together and do things right.
Wow are you serious, they are really allowing him to keep pulling this crap? I attended several meetings way back in the beginning and once he was denied thought it was all over. Looks like Sharra is up to her old tricks again, she really is a piece of work and an arrogant woman. I wish you all luck in court and hope you succeed in stopping this crap again or we'll all be paying through the nose when he dumps this all in the town's lap when he's done.
All depends if your in her circle of friends. You can bet there is something in this to gain for Sharra. Far as Planning Board member Larry Hill he wants to make the rules as lenient and as broad as possible so when he comes to developing his land with his condo project on the South Parrish Road the rules have changed to favor him. Will anyone ever wake up to their con games. Harah! for me and screw the rest.
Just who is going to purchase these condominiums, haven't they heard we are in a deep recession and no one is buying homes now even though prices are dirt cheap. Why hasn't the town attorney been advising the board in it's decision making ? If this woman is making decisions and going against the town's regulations why hasn't the other board members spoken up and stopped this charade are they all involved with this contractor?
This conduct is truly wrong and will have dire consequences for all of us in the future. How can the selectmen look the other way, isn't there a representative on the board?
Van Dyke has made a mess out of property on 119 where I live and this board has done nothing to make him clean it up. It's an eye sore and a disgrace letting him get away with so much. You can bet your bottom dollar someone on that board is going to profit from this project on route 10 otherwise he would have been shut down by now. He's well known for the shenanigans he pulls and other towns in the area refuse to let him build anymore because of all of his past violations. I don't know why our town hasn't followed their lead and kicked him out of Winchester. We surely don't need any new housing here, no one is buying and there's already a hundred homes or more for sale here now. I feel for you people who have to deal with this crap and this board. I hope you are successful and that someone on that board starts using common sense.
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