Bent Self-Serving Weasel, ‘Conflict of Interest Carl’ Corrinne, the developer-Chair of the Sterling Planning Board, unsurprisingly, is fighting ZBA Chair Patrick Fox’s attempts to increase the required lot sizes and setbacks for Sterling’s so-called ‘Multi-Family Developments.’

SEE:

Click to access 11-16-2023_minutes_-_planning_board.pdf

Click to access 1-25-2024_minutes_-_planning_board.pdf

NO surprise here. It just so happens that ‘Conflict of Interest Carl’ is the self-serving weasel PoS attempting to claim that the land under the New England Power Company high-voltage lines northerly of Clinton Road, on the property known as 100 Clinton Road owned by him, counts as required ‘open space’ for his proposed multi-family development there–even though ONLY underground utilities are permitted within such required ‘open space.’ Here is the relevant language within Sterling Protective (Zoning) By-Law Section 301-4.2 as to ‘Multifamily Developments’–

Open space.

a. 

At least 60% of the parcel shall be maintained as open space, and at least 40% of the parcel shall be contiguous open space, excluding required yards and buffer areas.

b. 

The required open space shall be used for conservation, recreation, agriculture, horticulture, forestry, or for a combination of these uses, and shall be served by suitable access for such purpose.

c. 

Underground utilities to serve the development may be located within the required open space (emphasis added).

Yeah, in my dictionary a photo of Corrinne appears next to the definition of ‘Dishonest Self-Serving Weasel PoS.’

Stay tuned.

J.G.

The following is re-printed from “News Link Live” with the permission of a Petition-drive leader:

Sign the Petition to Remove Sterling’s Board of Health Chairman Allen Hoffman

Posted on February 11, 2024 by Paul Salber

Read Time:58 Second

To Voters, Taxpayers and Concerned Citizens of Sterling:

A petition to recall Board of Health Chairman, Allen Hoffman, will begin soon. This will provide the voters of Sterling with an opportunity this May to elect three new members to the Board of Health (BOH). These will be members who care about Sterling residents and will be responsive to their needs.

The effort to remove Mr. Hoffman is driven by:

• The BOH’s actions of callous indifference to the will of the voters.
• Their enactment of unnecessary, burdensome, and costly septic regulations.
• Exposing the town of Sterling to potential legal (and financial) liability by contradicting state regulations.
• Creating regulations which negatively impact property values.
• Their arrogance by ignoring the overwhelming town vote to reverse these flawed regulations.

Please sign the petition to remove Mr. Hoffman and allow us to take back our town.
Our goal is to gather 1,500 signatures of registered voters (within a 20-day window) and we will need volunteers to help gather them.

If you have any questions or would like to help, please email us at TakeBackSterling@gmail.com.

Sincerely,

Paul Salber

A Concerned Resident of Sterling

Let’s have a round of applause for the Town of Littleton voters who, at their 1 November 2023 Special Town Meeting, rejected the attempted tyrannical State cram-down of a bogus so-called ‘MBTA Communities Multi-Family Zoning District.”

SEE  Littleton Town Meeting rejects MBTA Communities article (lowellsun.com)

Meanwhile, thousands of Town of Milton voters signed Petitions forcing the attempt to implement bogus so-called ‘MBTA Communities Multi-Family Zoning Districts’ there to a Town-wide election scheduled for 13 February 2024.

SEE  Milton voters to decide on zoning proposal (bostonglobe.com)

Town of Milton voters irate at the attempted State MBTA zoning cram-down established a website. Here is the link:  https://www.mnrz.org/mbta-zoning.html

Unlike Littleton and Milton, Sterling does not have any transit stop or terminal referred to in Mass.Gen.Laws Ch. 40A, Section 3A–

“(a)

(1) An MBTA community shall have a zoning ordinance or by-law that provides for at least 1 district of reasonable size in which multi-family housing is permitted as of right; provided, however, that such multi-family housing shall be without age restrictions and shall be suitable for families with children. For the purposes of this section, a district of reasonable size shall: (i) have a minimum gross density of 15 units per acre, subject to any further limitations imposed by section 40 of chapter 131 and title 5 of the state environmental code established pursuant to section 13 of chapter 21A; and (ii) be located not more than 0.5 miles from a commuter rail station, subway station, ferry terminal or bus station, if applicable.

(b)

An MBTA community that fails to comply with this section shall not be eligible for funds from: (i) the Housing Choice Initiative as described by the governor in a message to the general court dated December 11, 2017; (ii) the Local Capital Projects Fund established in section 2EEEE of chapter 29; (iii) the MassWorks infrastructure program established in section 63 of chapter 23A, or (iv) the HousingWorks infrastructure program established in section 27 of chapter 23B.

(c)

The executive office of housing and livable communities, in consultation with the executive office of economic development, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority and the Massachusetts Department of Transportation, shall promulgate guidelines to determine if an MBTA community is in compliance with this section.”

–– and does NOT have any land within 0.5 miles of any such transit stop or terminal. Therefore, the Town of Sterling is EXEMPT from Ch. 40A, Section 3A.

However, that fact has not prevented self-serving weasel developer “Conflict of Interest Carl” Corrinne and gutless Sterling Planning Board sheep from seeking to put bogus ‘MBTA Communities Multi-Family Zoning District’ Articles on the May 2024 Sterling Annual Town Meeting Warrant.

SEE  pb_agenda_-_november_16_2023.pdf (sterling-ma.gov)  OF COURSE, “Conflict of Interest Carl” Corrinne stands to profit from building multi-family housing units.

When the May 2024 Sterling Annual Town Meeting rolls around Sterling voters need to show up en masse and vote to protect Sterling’s resources and rural character by decisively voting down any and all such bogus ‘MBTA Communities Multi-Family Zoning Districts’ Warrant Articles.

J.G.

On 16 November 2023 the Sterling Planning Board, Chaired by self-serving weasel developer Carl Corrinne, discussed putting bogus so-called ‘MBTA Communities Multi-Family Housing Zoning Districts’ articles on the May 2024 Sterling Annual Town Meeting Warrant–https://www.sterling-ma.gov/planning-board/events/123551 Of course, ‘Conflict of Interest Carl’ would LOVE to have such measures passed because it would give him an opportunity to build more housing for personal gain. Any such zoning amendments require a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote to pass and be adopted.

What the Town Planner, ‘Conflict of Interest Carl’ and the Planning Board, the pro-developer hacks constituting the Sterling ZBA, the Town Administrator, and the Sterling Select Board WILL NEVER TELL YOU IS THAT MASS.GEN.LAWS CH. 40A, SECTION 3A, the so-called ‘MBTA Communities Multi-Family Housing Zoning Districts’ statute, DOES NOT APPLY TO THE TOWN OF STERLING BECAUSE STERLING HAS NO LAND WITHIN ONE-HALF MILE (0.5 MILES) OF ANY TRANSIT STATION OR TERMINAL REFERRED TO IN THAT SECTION.

Here is the entire text of Ch. 40A, Section 3A:

“(a)

(1) An MBTA community shall have a zoning ordinance or by-law that provides for at least 1 district of reasonable size in which multi-family housing is permitted as of right; provided, however, that such multi-family housing shall be without age restrictions and shall be suitable for families with children. For the purposes of this section, a district of reasonable size shall: (i) have a minimum gross density of 15 units per acre, subject to any further limitations imposed by section 40 of chapter 131 and title 5 of the state environmental code established pursuant to section 13 of chapter 21A; and (ii) be located not more than 0.5 miles from a commuter rail station, subway station, ferry terminal or bus station, if applicable.

(b)

An MBTA community that fails to comply with this section shall not be eligible for funds from: (i) the Housing Choice Initiative as described by the governor in a message to the general court dated December 11, 2017; (ii) the Local Capital Projects Fund established in section 2EEEE of chapter 29; (iii) the MassWorks infrastructure program established in section 63 of chapter 23A, or (iv) the HousingWorks infrastructure program established in section 27 of chapter 23B.

(c)

The executive office of housing and livable communities, in consultation with the executive office of economic development, the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority and the Massachusetts Department of Transportation, shall promulgate guidelines to determine if an MBTA community is in compliance with this section.”

The totally dishonest Mass. Dept. of Housing and Community Development ‘Guidelines Team’ ignored the clear limiting language of Section 3A(a) and promulgated totally bogus so-called ‘Guidelines’ attempting to force ALL 177 so-called ‘MBTA Communities’ into adopting so-called ‘MBTA Communities Multi-Family Housing Zoning Districts’– Section 3A Guidelines | Mass.gov

The TOWN OF HOLDEN, to its everlasting credit, REFUSED TO BUY THAT BULLSHIT and prevailed recently in a lawsuit brought by Lefty housing advocates attempting to compel the Town of Holden to knuckle under—

Lawsuit over Mass. town not following state housing law thrown out by judge – masslive.com

NOTE that Blowhard Affirmative-Action-Hire Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell HAS NOT filed an action against the Town of Holden BECAUSE SHE KNOWS THAT THE ONLY STATUTORY SANCTION/PENALTY FOR ALLEGED NON-COMPLIANCE IS THE CUT-OFF OF STATE FUNDING REFERRED TO IN SECTION 3A(b).

The Sterling Town Administrator has admitted that the Town of Sterling HAS NOT BEEN RECEIVING ANY FUNDS REFERRED TO IN SECTION 3A(b).

NOW Town of Milton voters are stepping up to defeat ‘MBTA Communities Multi-Family Housing Zoning Districts’ State Tyranny:

Milton may choose not to comply with MBTA communities law (bostonglobe.com)

The Town of Middleborough has already told the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to SHOVE Ch. 40A, Section 3A SIDEWAYS—

Town of Middleborough Shares Statement Regarding Town’s Legal Compliance to MBTA Communities Zoning Law – John Guilfoil Public Relations LLC (jgpr.net)

It behooves ALL Sterling voters to show up at the 2024 Sterling Annual Town Meeting and vote to protect and preserve the Town’s integrity and character BY VOTING DOWN ANY AND ALL SO-CALLED ‘MBTA COMMUNITIES MULTI-FAMILY HOUSING ZONING DISTRICT’ ARTICLES ON THAT ANNUAL TOWN MEETING’S WARRANT.

J.G.

Months ago, immediately after the Central Massachusetts Housing Alliance filed its absolutely BULLSHIT so-called ‘MBTA Zoning’ lawsuit against the Town of Holden, your correspondent on this Blog site wrote that that lawsuit should be dismissed for the plaintiffs’/claimants’ “lack of standing.” Welp, Worcester Superior Court Judge Daniel Wrenn did just THAT this week and dismissed that lawsuit for plaintiffs’ “lack of standing.”

SEE  Judge dismisses lawsuit against Holden over defiance of MBTA housing law (yahoo.com)

Let’s have a BIG round of applause for the Town of Holden’s Select Board and Town Manager. THEY displayed real cojones and stood up for the rule of law in defending against these bogus claims AND the bogus threats made by Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell who has pushed the illegal and ultra vires so-called ‘MBTA Zoning Guidelines,’ promulgated by the intellectually dishonest Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development, that warp the clear intent of Mass. Gen. Laws Ch. 40A, Section 3A.

The truth is that Ch. 40A, Section 3A APPLIES ONLY TO THOSE SO-CALLED ‘MBTA COMMUNITIES’ THAT HAVE LAND WITHIN HALF A MILE (0.5 MILES) OF ONE OF THE TRANSIT STOPS OR TERMINALS DESCRIBED IN THAT STATUTE. MOREOVER, THE ONLY SANCTION/PENALTY FOR NOT COMPLYING WITH THAT STATUTE IS THE CUT-OFF OF STATE FUNDS DESCRIBED IN SECTION 3A(b).

SEE  General Law – Part I, Title VII, Chapter 40A, Section 3A (malegislature.gov)

STERLING has received NO STATE FUNDS described in Section 3A(b) AND DOES NOT HAVE ANY LAND WITHIN HALF A MILE OF ANY TRANSIT STOP OR TERMINAL LISTED IN SECTION 3A, YET THE GUTLESS STERLING PLANNING BOARD AND TOWN PLANNER HAVE UNDERTAKEN TO DESIGNATE BOGUS ‘MBTA ZONING DISTRICT’ PROVISIONS WITHIN THE TOWN OF STERLING. WHAT GROVELING CLOWNS.

ANY SUCH ZONING CHANGES MUST BE APPROVED AT A STERLING TOWN MEETING. MAKE SURE YOU SHOW UP AND VOTE THEM DOWN. WITH THE TOWN WELL-WATER SHORTAGE WE DON’T NEED ANY MORE HIGH-DENSITY HOUSING THAT SELF-SERVING WEASEL DEVELOPER, CARL CORRINNE, BENT CHAIRMAN OF THE STERLING PLANNING BOARD, WOULD LOVE TO BUILD.

I’d like to think that the principled stand taken by Town of Holden officials will stiffen the spines of Sterling officials when it comes to these matters, but experience demonstrates that that result is highly unlikely.

J.G.

On 6 December 2023 the Sterling Select Board will meet jointly with the corrupt Board of Health to pick an interim BOH member following Ms. Martin’s resignation, AND to pick a BOH Audit Committee member from among applicants who were signatories to the 16 October 2023 Sterling Special Town Meeting Voter Petitions—

Click to access 2023_12_6_agenda.pdf

That oughta be fun to watch, so come on out to that meeting if you are able to do so.

In upcoming weeks and months, as the BOH audit progresses, we can expect layers of Sterling BOH cronyism, fraud, waste, abuse, misfeasance, malfeasance, misrepresentation, abuse of power, and incompetence to be exposed.

And THAT means, among other things, that the firing of the Sterling BOH’s ‘full-time Health Agent’ [WINK, WINK], David “Nowhere Man” Favreau, should be effected sometime during 2024.

J.G.