Arlington Land Trust

Protecting Open Spaces in Arlington

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Celebrating Brian Rehrig on April 10

March 2022 – News Brief

We are pleased to share this invitation from Brian’s family to join them in celebrating his life with an afternoon of music, memories, and togetherness.

Sunday, April 10, 1:00 pm
Arlington Town Hall
730 Massachusetts Ave, Arlington, MA 02476

All are welcome. To aid in planning and to sign up to receive further communications about the event, please indicate your attendance here.

Please also visit https://linktr.ee/brianrehrig for donation links, a virtual memory board, and the obituary. 
All our love,
Sheila, Matt and Anna, Jenna and Adric

Virtual Annual Meeting February 21 

February 2022 – News Brief

The Board of Directors of the Arlington Land Trust invite you to join us for the 2021 Annual Meeting via Zoom on Monday, February 21, 2022 at 7 pm.

This year we will hold a short meeting to remember our colleague Brian Rehrig, elect Board members, hear a brief Treasurer’s report, and provide updates on the 40B comprehensive permit process for Thorndike Place/Mugar property.

Please save the date and join the meeting using the link below.

All are welcome to attend the meeting. Anyone who has made a general membership payment and/or contributed to an ALT special fund during the past year is considered a member and is eligible to vote. If you have not done so already, please renew your membership or make a contribution here.

Thank you. We look forward to seeing you on February 21.

Join Zoom Meeting
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Remembering Brian Rehrig

Brian Rehrig at an ALT Fun Day 2017
Brian helps out with taking visitors to Elizabeth Island during Spy Pond Fun Day in September 2017. Among his many contributions, Brian was instrumental in organizing the Campaign to Protect Elizabeth Island and the Land Trust’s 2010 purchase of the island for conservation and public enjoyment.

We are deeply saddened to report that Brian Rehrig passed away on January 21 after a long illness.

Celebrating Brian Rehrig on April 10

Brian was one of a small group who established the Land Trust in 1999 and he served as the treasurer and guiding light for more than 20 years. It is impossible to recount all the wisdom and expertise that he contributed to this organization, and to the promotion of land conservation and community service in Arlington and beyond. 

Brian Rehrig
Brian Rehrig

We have lost a dear friend and advocate for open space preservation. Recently Brian focused tirelessly on efforts to protect the open space and wetlands on the Mugar property in East Arlington.

The Rehrig family has suggested that donations in Brian’s memory be made to the Arlington Land Trust Mugar Protection Fund. Those wishing to make a memorial donation will find the fund on the Join/Donate page. 

Brian’s obituary and other information are posted at rehrigs.com.

Update on ZBA Decision and Appeals

January 2022 – Mugar Update 

The Zoning Board of Appeals voted 5-0 at its November 22, 2021 meeting to approve the Comprehensive Permit for Thorndike Place with a host of conditions. Since then, several legal steps have been taken to appeal that decision. In this summary we seek to update Arlington Land Trust members and supporters about this complicated situation and provide links to the respective documents.

The ZBA’s final Decision was submitted to the Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) on December 1, 2021. Chapter 40B provides a 20-day appeal period, during which time lawsuits may be filed to challenge the ZBA’s decision. On December 21, 2021, two lawsuits were filed.

The first lawsuit, by three abutting neighbors of the Mugar site, was submitted to the Middlesex County Superior Court. It challenges the ZBA decision primarily due to the impacts on the environmentally sensitive, flood-prone condition of the property and concerns about more intense storms and other climate impacts on the neighborhood in the future. The neighbors also cite concerns about traffic safety and accessibility on the narrow local roadways.

The second lawsuit, by the developer of the Mugar site, Arlington Land Realty, LLC, was submitted to the Housing Appeals Committee. The developer objects to many of the conditions imposed by the ZBA decision and some of the requested waivers from local bylaws, rules and regulations. In a second part of its appeal, the developer seeks to have its filing fee reduced due to “special circumstances.”

According to the provisions of the Chapter 40B statute, the Housing Appeals Committee case must be resolved first, thus delaying the Superior Court’s consideration of the neighbors’ lawsuit. The timeframe for this process is not yet known. We will continue to provide updates as conditions allow.

In the meantime, the Land Trust is initiating hydrological studies to re-examine soil and groundwater conditions on the Mugar site during peak water levels in the spring. We believe that the developer’s projections were based on drought conditions and are thus incomplete and inaccurate. The new information will be made available to the Town and the Conservation Commission when it begins its own hearings on the Thorndike Place project, as required before any permits can be granted. This work will supplement the climate resiliency evaluation by Weston and Sampson that the Land Trust commissioned in December 2020. Some of that information regarding future projections of rainfall data was incorporated into the ZBA hearings and decision.

Arlington Land Trust continues to advocate for the permanent protection of the Mugar parcel as conservation land. The site is subject to regular and significant flooding, and is a critical stormwater buffer for the surrounding and downstream neighborhoods of East Arlington.

More ZBA Deliberations on Nov 16, 18, 22

November 2021 – Mugar Update #3

The Zoning Board of Appeals will continue its deliberations on the Comprehensive Permit for Thorndike Place on Tuesday, November 16, at 7:30 pm. Additional meetings are also scheduled for Thursday, November 18, at 7:30 pmand Monday, November 22, at 8:00 pm, if needed.

The most recent revised draft decision, dated November 11, 2021, reflects changes made at that session. Among other things, a condition has been added to the draft stating that a conservation restriction (CR) on the 12 conservation acres must be in place prior to project completion and occupancy. However, there is no express requirement that the conservation parcel be transferred to the Town or an organization approved by the Town, which ALT believes is the only viable approach.

The upcoming ZBA deliberation meetings are open to the public for viewing only; neither the Applicant, Town officials, nor residents may participate in these webinar sessions.

Register in advance for the 11/16/21 meeting
Register in advance for the 11/18/21 meeting
Register in advance for the 11/22/21 meeting
You will receive a separate confirmation email with information about joining each meeting.

The ZBA has been posting its latest revised draft decision after each meeting, so check the ZBA Agenda page for updated documents.

Arlington Land Trust continues to advocate for the permanent protection of the Mugar parcel as conservation land. The site is subject to regular and significant flooding, and is a critical stormwater buffer for the surrounding and downstream neighborhoods of East Arlington.