Some say the project contradicts town's Master Plan, which put an emphasis on preserving the character of South Hadley.
SOUTH HADLEY – A group called Friends of Ferry Street is gearing up for a public hearing at the South Hadley Planning Board meeting on Monday, where it plans to raise objections to a proposed 31-unit condominium complex in a rural part of town.
“We’re united by a common cause,” said resident Joanne White, “and that is to preserve and stand up for the Ferry Street neighborhood, a rural area of single-family homes.”
In fact, 16 people made their opposition clear in advance in the “public forum” segment of a Selectboard meeting earlier this week.
They charged that the project was contrary to the recently completed and approved Master Plan for the town, which put an emphasis on preserving the character of South Hadley.
There was a sense of betrayal as speakers reminded the board, over and over again, that $100,000 and years of thought and hard work had gone into the Master Plan. It was approved in August.
“Our opposition is not simply a NIMBY response,” said Robert Lak, referring to a “not-in-my-backyard” attitude.
If the Rivercrest proposal is approved, said White, “it sets a precedent that haphazard building can proceed according to the wishes of developers.”
Developer Craig Authier of Rivercrest Condo LLC is seeking a special permit from the Planning Board to proceed with the multi-family dwellings. He said opponents may change their minds when they learn more about the project.
“A lot of people haven’t seen the plans,” said Authier, adding that his company has been working on the project for “over a year,” with engineers looking out for wetlands and other problems.
“We want to hear people’s concerns,” said Authier. “We’re willing to work with the neighborhood.”
But White described the feeling on her street as “outrage.” She held up a photo to show where she said a horse pasture would be hemmed in by condos.
Norma Monat, a Ferry Street resident who traces her ancestry to the founders of South Hadley, objected to having a condo complex “wrapped” around her quiet neighborhood.
Ferry Street resident Marty Holmes said he had “major concerns” that the proposed entrance and exit of the complex, and the traffic that would come with it, would create safety problems for “walkers, joggers and the kids who use the ballfield.”
Robert Judge, chair of the Selectboard, reminded the group that as a rule, the board does not respond during the open forum part of the agenda, though all were welcome to express their thoughts.
The public hearing on the topic is on the agenda of the Planning Board at 6:30 on Monday at Town Hall, room 204.
Rep. John Scibak, who had come to the meeting for another reason – namely, to point out the ineffectiveness of the town’s emergency alert system to warn residents that a tornado was coming – acknowledged the concerns of the Ferry Street advocates.
“We need to look very carefully at the impact on this neighborhood,” said Scibak.