It feels like a small group of insiders is moving a “housing in a hurry” agenda that is being pushed by housing developers who are making deals with unelected planning, zoning and conservation commission boards who are rubber-stamping everything from cell towers to tall apartment condos, to riverside developments, in a mad dash to hit some arbitrary number of dwelling units for a population that’s shrinking.
The Question 1 referendum gives voters a chance to dial down the “crisis” and take a sober look at how much this rushed housing hunt is going to cost us as taxpayers, and how much revenue we will lose by removing a parking lot that was generating six-figures in fees annually until the temporary fire station smothered the lot.
Now that we have built a decent home for our firefighters, can we please have back our revenue-generating parking lot — as promised — for workers and business customers, and our narrow streets returned to our residential homeowners?
“Yes” on 1, because promises should be kept, and neighborhoods respected.
Lisa Baronas
Greenfield