Developer’s New Proposal for Former Raytheon Site Leaves Many Questions

At a Board of Selectmen meeting August 24, the developer offered an impromptu quick look at their new “downsized” proposal for a massive commercial/residential project on the former Raytheon site on Route 20. The developer is now proposing to reduce the amount of commercial space while simultaneously increasing the number and square footage of the residential units. A decrease of 100,000 square feet of commercial space, combined with an increase in the number and average size of residential units (100 units averaging 1,500 sq ft to 120 units averaging 2,100 sq ft) simply shifts the mix of use without significantly reducing the overall size. The net effect of these shifts (wastewater, fiscal, traffic, public safety) remains to be determined.

The developer will present the revised proposal to the Planning Board on Tuesday, August 30. As with their original proposal, the new one leaves many critical questions unanswered: What is the fiscal impact? What is the impact on public safety, waste water management, traffic, and schools?

Despite this lack of crucial information, the BOS continued to move full-speed ahead Wednesday night to craft a developer’s agreement. They also chose to ignore the advice of their own attorney, Mark Bobrowski, who was hired by the BOS to help the Town craft the developer’s agreement. During the meeting, Bobrowski urged the BOS to immediately request that the developer supply fiscal and traffic impact studies of their revised proposal to help the Planning Board and public assess the proposed development’s merits, but Selectman Bill Whitney—along with the developer’s engineer Frank Doherty— balked at the suggestion. Whitney cited a lack of time and Doherty a lack of in-house expertise. But these impact studies (traffic, waste water, public safety and services, school costs) ARE critical to deciding if this project even warrants the BOS’s support.


WHAT DO WE KNOW?
--The developer is still proposing a massive “destination” shopping center that includes a 52,000 s.f. grocery store (Whole Foods in Wayland is 18,000 s.f.; Sudbury Farms is 40,000 s.f.)
--The developer is proposing a big-box bookstore (30,000 s.f) comparable in size to the Barnes & Noble at Shopper’s World.
--The developer has dropped their plan to build 55+ housing, and instead proposes building multi-bedroom, non-age restricted townhouse and multifamily apartment-style units, which could have a significant impact on school enrollment and the school budget.
--The waste water management implications of the project have not been adequately evaluated. Selectman Alan Reiss is so concerned that he urged the BOS to immediately hire an independent consultant to determine the validity of the developer’s projected usage and to protect the Town’s interests, including its future liability should usage exceed the DEP (Department of Environmental Protection) allotment.
--Police Chief Irving has declared he does not have enough information to predict “how much work the development at Wayland Business Center would make for police,” and wants an independent study done, according to an article in the August 25 Globe West.
-- The fiscal consultant hired by the Town has insufficient information to make an informed analysis. “We have been asked to comment on a conceptualized plan: that is, few of the facts important to an economic or fiscal impact study are available today,” states consultant Judi Barrett in her final fiscal analysis report to the Town, submitted August 12. Read more about her concerns in the August 21 Metrowest Daily News article: “Wayland Project Study Leaves Questions”

The developer will present their revised proposal to the Planning Board on Tuesday evening, August 30, at Town Building at 7:30pm. The Planning Board is responsible for drafting the zoning bylaws that the BOS intends to present to voters at a Special Town Meeting November 1.The Planning Board has repeatedly expressed its concern about a lack of adequate information from the developer, including the lack of a marketing plan. A zoning bylaw change will require a two-thirds majority vote at the Special Town Meeting November 1.

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