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Select Board Update, Monday, September 11

September 2023 –Mugar Update

Select Board Update, Monday, September 11
The Select Board will discuss the Thorndike Place proposal for the Mugar property in East Arlington at its regular meeting on Monday, September 11, beginning at 7:15 pm. Board member Steve DeCourcey and Town Counsel Doug Heim will provide an update on the project. The meeting will be conducted in a hybrid format, with both remote and in-person participation options, in the Select Board Chambers at Town Hall. See the Select Board agenda for details.

The Coalition to Save the Mugar Wetlands announced in late July that the abutters’ appeal had been discontinued. The main direction for the appeal against the proposed Thorndike Place was focused on the environmental impact of the project. The Arlington Land Trust had agreed to help fund the work of independent experts and engineers to conduct hydrology testing to determine accurate ground water levels. Unfortunately, the legal motion filed to gain access to the site in order to conduct the necessary testing was denied. Therefore, given the anticipated expense to continue with the lawsuit, and the reduced odds of success, the Coalition and abutters decided not to continue with the appeal.

The Coalition will continue its efforts to educate the community on the process and, in its endeavors to prevent advancement of the project, reserves the right to challenge the development in other forums. The Coalition still needs help to support the legal fund. Go to the Go Fund Me page for details.

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.

Mugar Coalition Seeks Funding

April 2023 — Mugar Update

As the legal proceedings related to the proposed development of Thorndike Place continue to play out in court, the Coalition to Save the Mugar Wetlands is promoting awareness about the project, and seeks to raise $50,000 to help pay legal and other fees.

Arlington residents filed suit in December 2021 to prevent construction of a massive four-story rental building with townhomes that would occupy land near documented wetlands and floodplains. With no direct access to Mass. Ave. or Route 2, all traffic would empty onto Lake Street. This campaign seeks to protect the wetlands, reduce flooding, prevent habitat destruction, and control local traffic patterns.The Coalition has launched a Go Fund Me page to help raise funds to support their legal efforts. For more information and updates, subscribe to the Coalition’s elist.

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.

Recent Actions on Proposed Development

October 2022 — Mugar Update         

Since the previous Mugar Update in January 2022, several legal actions have occurred regarding the proposed 40B development known as Thorndike Place, although no final decisions have been made. Following is a summary of recent actions and an update of the Land Trust’s involvement in the ongoing process.

The Zoning Board of Appeals filed its decision and conditions on the project in November 2021, and in December two lawsuits were filed against the ZBA decision: 1) the developers of Thorndike Place, Arlington Land Realty LLC, filed a lawsuit with the Housing Appeals Committee; and 2) three abutters of the Mugar property filed a lawsuit in Middlesex County Superior Court. In April 2022, the developers terminated their appeal, which means the abutters’ case can move forward.

Land Trust to Support Environmental Studies

Attorney Daniel Hill, who has been hired by the Coalition to Save the Mugar Wetlands on behalf of the abutters, recently gave the ALT Board an update on their lawsuit. He explained that a primary goal of the case is to present evidence concerning environmental damage, flooding, and related hydrological and stormwater problems that could be caused by the development. Although the Zoning Board of Appeals approved the project with extensive conditions, the lawsuit argues that insufficient data and analyses of groundwater conditions were available at the time.

Hill and several engineering and hydrological consultants are in the process of preparing the case and gathering such data. The ALT Board has agreed to underwrite some of the costs directly associated with these environmental studies. The analyses and reports will be available for the lawsuit and for the Conservation Commission and other Arlington officials to use in future planning for the Mugar property. Hill does not expect the court trial to begin until 2023 or 2024.

Coalition Seeks to Protect Wetlands

The Coalition to Save the Mugar Wetlands was established in response to the proposed development of the wetlands. The group is engaged in raising awareness about the proposed 40B Thorndike Place project and supporting the efforts of the abutters who have filed suit to prevent any development on the property.

The Coalition has launched a Go Fund Me page to help raise funds to support their legal efforts. On Saturday, October 15, 1-5 pm, the Coalition will sponsor a Yard Sale and Fair on Parker Street as a neighborhood celebration and fundraiser.

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.