GIVEN STERLING’S PUBLIC WATER SUPPLY SHORTCOMINGS IT IS TIME TO RENEW THE “RATE OF DEVELOPMENT” ZONING PROVISIONS RATHER THAN EXPUNGE THEM

TOWN OFFICIALS KNOW THAT STERLING HAS WATER SUPPLY SHORTCOMINGS

Toward the bottom of almost every Sterling Select Board published Agenda are the words “Water Supply” in red. Here is but one example: https://www.sterling-ma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif1266/f/agendas/2021_4_14_agenda2.pdf

The Select Board members know that Sterling has water supply shortcomings. After all, for many years, Sterling residents have been presented with May 1 to September 30 water use restriction notices such as this: https://www.sterling-ma.gov/department-of-public-works/news/mandatory-water-ban-may-1st-september-30th

THE STERLING PROTECTIVE (ZONING) BY-LAW “RATE OF DEVELOPMENT” PROVISIONS

Years ago Sterling Town Meeting voters approved the “Article 4, SPECIAL REGULATIONS, 4.2 [et seq.], Rate of Development” “to phase growth so that it will not unduly strain the community’s ability to provide basic public facilities and services…”(emphasis original and added). SEE page 21– https://www.sterling-ma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif1266/f/uploads/2019_protective_bylaws_6_may_2019.pdf
Those provisions became effective in 1998 and, by their terms, expired 15 years later.

THE PLANNING BOARD, CHAIRED BY DEVELOPER/HOME BUILDER CARL CORRINNE, NOW SEEKS TO EXPUNGE THE “RATE OF DEVELOPMENT” PROVISIONS RATHER THAN RENEW THEM

Despite Sterling’s known public water supply shortcomings the Planning Board, Chaired by developer/home builder Carl Corrinne, THIS GUY– http://www.cdcorrinnebuilders.com/ –now seeks to expunge the expired “Rate of Development” Zoning provisions rather than renew them. SEE https://www.sterling-ma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif1266/f/agendas/2-25-2021_stamped_proposed_zoning_amendments.pdf
If you are looking for intellectual honesty don’t look for it on the Planning Board.

TIME FOR THE SELECT BOARD TO CONSERVE THE TOWN’S WATER RESOURCES BY MOVING TO RENEW THE “RATE OF DEVELOPMENT” ZONING PROVISIONS

The Select Board can’t have it both ways. If its members are genuinely concerned about Sterling’s public water supply shortcomings then they cannot promote unrestricted development in this Town and should move to renew the “Rate of Development” Zoning provisions for an unlimited time period. Let’s see what they do.

UPDATE–TOWN MEETING WARRANT ARTICLE 36, “RATE OF DEVELOPMENT”

This is now Annual Town Meeting Warrant Article 36, part of the bogus, abusive “SECOND CONSENT AGENDA” that begins on page 13 of the Warrant. The shameless hypocrites on the Planning Board and Select Board–apparently wholly subservient to local developers–despite knowing that the Town of Sterling has a public water supply shortage, now seek to expunge the “Rate Of Development” provisions from the Sterling Protective (Zoning) By-Laws, rather than restoring and re-imposing them until additional public water supply capacity can be brought online.

VOTE DOWN ARTICLE 36.

J.G.