BUTTHURT ATTEMPTED CRONY ZONERS— THE PACKARDS, THE STERLING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE, AND THE PLANNING BOARD— FAILED TWICE TO GET “PERFORMANCE ZONE 1” RE-ZONED TO “COMMERCIAL.” NOW THE NEW TOWN PLANNER WANTS ANOTHER BITE AT THE APPLE

The Packards have bought up most parcels in Sterling’ “Performance Zone 1” straddling Route 140 southeasterly from its intersection with Dana Hill Road. They, together with the Sterling Economic Development Committee (the Committee that can’t tell the difference between downtown beautification, among other irrelevancies, and actual economic development), and the Sterling Planning Board, failed at BOTH the 2021 and 2022 Sterling Annual Town Meetings to get that area crony-zoned to “Commercial.” Re-zoning requires a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote.

BUT never fear! The Town of Sterling’s newest useless appendage, Town Planner Stephen Wallace, having replaced in that job slot former useless appendage and Select Board ‘Gofer’ Domenica Tatasciore, told the Planning Board on 17 November 2022 that he wants to “totally revamp[ ] the zoning standards for the Town’s Performance Zone.” To make himself look useful he has other zoning changes in mind, too.

SEE  https://www.sterling-ma.gov/sites/g/files/vyhlif1266/f/minutes/11-17-2022_minutes_-_approved.pdf

We need to watch this guy, the Economic Development Committee, the Planning Board, and the Zoning Board of Appeals CLOSELY in the months and years ahead.

J.G.