Use this search box to find articles that have run in our newspapers over the last several years.
| By Courtney Llewellyn Reminder Assistant Editor WILBRAHAM Will Washington Road soon have a subdivision? The legal side of the topic was discussed in depth at the Wilbraham Planning Board meeting last week. Land developer Anthony Carnivale is working on a large piece of property on Washington Road. He wants to develop the land into a subdivided residential area. The largest issue with this plan is how residents of the subdivision would reach Boston Road and other public roads. The main route for access now is to travel over Seneca Street, a private way, then out onto Manchonis Road. "For this subdivision plan to work, there has to be a connection from Washington Road to a public way," John Pearsall, planning director, said. "The developer is working on his due diligence, researching for access before moving forward." Those currently residing on Washington Road have easement, or right of use, to traverse Seneca Street, but the amount of traffic now is relatively low. A new subdivision may increase traffic by up to 40 cars per hour, according to Michael T. Hassett, Town Counsel for Wilbraham. To help provide further legal advice, Attorney Dennis Tulley of Springfield gave his opinion on the topic as special town counsel. Along with Hassett, he explained that a public way must be created, either by the developer himself or by the landowners of Seneca Street. Carnivale was advised by his attorney to improve the access of Seneca Street before they moved forward with their plans, but since Seneca Street is a private way, it is maintained by those who own property on it only the property owners have the ability to improve their section of the street. A number of the residents of Seneca Street attended the meeting. Another issue with the proposed development is the fact that Washington Road is a private way ("a paper street," according to Pearsall) and has not officially been recognized as a public town road. This questions whether or not the town has the ability to make a decision on the proposal. "Washington Road was laid out in a plan, but never constructed completely," Pearsall explained. "Some of it is paved, some of it is dirt." While no decision was made by the Planning Board during the meeting, Pearsall believes that headway was made toward a resolution of the topic. "The Planning Board has achieved learning the legal side of this," he said. "It is now the developer's decision to go forward with road work and submission of a subdivision application." Pearsall added that the ultimate decision on the project rests with the Planning Board. Carnivale and his attorney were present at the meeting but only as observers. |