Village wants some choice as it changes
Home to an eclectic mix of industrial sites, condos, mom-and-pop stores, and even a chain restaurant, West Concord isn't known for Revolutionary-era landmarks.
But residents and business owners say this working-class part of town is being inundated with change that could ruin its unique character.
They point to a number of issues - a new 350-unit apartment complex, a multiuse rail trail, and the sale of several large pieces of property - that could threaten the look and feel of West Concord unless something is done to rein in development and traffic.
"It's unique and quirky, and we want to maintain the character of West Concord because, if you lose it, you won't get it back," said Meg Gaudet, who lives and works in West Concord.
After hearing of concerns raised by Gaudet and other West Concord residents, the Board of Selectmen appointed an 11-member task force earlier this month that will look at the issues facing the village and come up with recommendations for addressing them. The group was scheduled to meet for the first time on Tuesday.
Gregory Howes, chairman of the Board of Selectmen, said the board wants the group not to duplicate past town planning efforts. He said its charge is to identify short- and long-term issues and list what needs to be tackled first.
"We want them to do their homework and come back with a game plan, and the selectmen will evaluate it," he said.
Howes hopes the group will have a plan to present by November so any potential changes in zoning, for example, could be taken up through warrant articles at the spring Town Meeting.
The idea for the task force came up after resident Joanne Loynd petitioned Town Meeting to reopen its long-range plan. She said there were a number of hot topics brewing in the western part of town that should be addressed in the plan. The petition passed and a working group was put in place. The task force came out of the working group.
Loynd said she began hearing complaints from neighbors last November about major changes taking place in West Concord. Those include the filing of plans for a large rental housing complex; talk about the MBTA making changes along the Fitchburg line to speed up the commute; the sale of several pieces of property, including a large auto dealership; an announcement that the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail would cut through West Concord Village; and a decision by the state to move forward with plans to redesign the Route 2 rotary near the prison.
"There were a lot of issues coming together, and people were saying, 'How is West Concord going to handle all this?' " said Loynd, who put together a petition and gathered support for a plan that called for the town to take a closer look at the changes taking place.
Among issues facing West Concord, residents cited three major themes - village character, traffic, and protecting natural resources.
"These are tough areas to solve, but it's possible a new set of eyes can come up with something new," Loynd said.
Gaudet, a member of the task force, is excited about possibilities. "It will be nice to have a forum to put your heads together," she said.
Traffic is already a problem, residents said. It backs up daily around the commuter rail station and comes to a halt when gates come down over the intersection. And, commuters cut through the village to avoid the rotary.
Jennifer Fenn Lefferts can be reached at jflefferts@yahoo.com.
