Medfield wants more control of development at old State Hospital site

Medfield's Board of Selectmen has voted to support a proposed 440-unit housing development at the site of the former Medfield State Hospital only if state officials agree to give up a provision that would allow them to unilaterally alter the plan.

A bill currently before the state legislature would would authorize the state to sell the property to a private developer. Town Administrator Michael Sullivan said that the selectmen want to strip the bill of language that would allow the state to change the plan without input from the town.

Even if the bill passes, the town would have to rezone the land before the project could proceed.

If the bill does not become law before the July 31 -- end of the current legislative session -- the legislation would expire and would have to be filed again, Sullivan said.

-- Calvin Hennick