Thursday, June 28, 2012
Wind turbines are out for Stop & Shop, but what about for future projects in Wayland?
The debate over wind turbines at the Wayland Town Center location of Stop & Shop ended Tuesday when Stop & Shop representatives withdrew their request Town officials indicated current zoning doesn't permit wind turbines and, seeing the "no" vote writing on the wall, Stop & Shop withdrew the application. In the midst of this discussion, however, the issue was raised about how to handle wind turbines in the future. Town Planner Sarkis Sarkisian recommended that the town look into amending its zoning bylaws to address wind energy. What do you think? Does Wayland need a zoning bylaw that will pave the way for future wind energy? Would you rather not see wind turbines in Wayland? Sign in to Wayland Patch (click "Sign In" or "Join" in the upper …
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
The zoning hurdle couldn't be cleared to permit wind turbines at Wayland Town Center.
Weeks of debate culminated in the decision by Stop & Shop to withdraw its application to construct six, 35-foot tall wind turbines at its under-construction Wayland Town Center location. Stop & Shop first proposed erecting the wind turbines during a Planning Board meeting in March. At that time, the turbines were to be built along a ridge separating Stop & Shop from abutting residential properties. When residents raised concerns about constructing the turbines so close to nearby homes, Stop & Shop altered plans and instead proposed including the turbines atop dual-use light poles in the parking lot. In the end, however, a zoning issue led Stop & Shop representatives to withdraw their request for the turbines during a public hearing on …
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
This letter was submitted both as a public comment to the Planning Board and to Wayland Patch for publication as a letter to the editor.
Wayland resident Anette Lewis submitted this letter. This application for installation of 6 wind turbines within the Town Center Mixed-Use Project is not a request that can be granted by the Wayland Planning Board under Wayland’s current zoning scheme. And, if the request were to be granted in this instance, then facilities could be placed throughout town without standards or restrictions. Wayland Zoning Applicable to the Town Center Mixed-Use Project The Mixed-Use Overlay District (MUOD), which is the applicable zoning district for this development, requires that all development within the district can be accomplished only through the issuance of a Master Special Permit (see Section 198-2304.3.1. of the MUOD bylaw). The Master Special …
Wayland Patch has covered the wind turbine debate for the past couple of months. A decision in expected tonight.
The Wayland Planning Board will reconvene a public hearing tonight, continued from June 19, focused on the controversial topic of wind turbines in the parking lot at the Wayland Town Center location of Stop & Shop. The public first learned of Stop & Shop's desire to erect wind turbines during a March 28 Planning Board meeting. During that meeting, representatives for Stop & Shop explained that the store is pursuing LEED certification for it's Wayland Town Center location and is planning LED lighting, solar panels and other measures, including the wind turbines, to achieve that certification. Wayland Patch asked in our Weekly Question feature whether residents supported the turbines at Town Center and received some mixed responses. Katrien …
Wind turbines, globalization and singing.
1. Wind and More. The Wayland Town Building will be a busy place tonight as the Planning Board talks wind turbines, the Board of Public Works talks communication, and several other boards gather as well. 2. Nature Walk. Transition Wayland will continue toward its goal of walking each of the trails in Wayland. Today, the group will walk the Cow Common beginning at 4 p.m. 3. Globalization Discussion. The film, "The Economics of Happiness" will be screened today at the library. A conversation about the film's ideas and themes will follow the screening. 4. Sing Your Heart Out. The Council on Aging singing group, the Golden Tones, rehearse on Tuesday mornings. Newcomers are always welcome. 5. Rain, Rain. It could pop up again today, so go ahead…
Saturday, June 23, 2012
The conversation continues about wind turbines at Wayland's upcoming Stop & Shop location.
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Saturday, June 23, 2012
This letter was submitted by George Bachrach, president of the Environmental League of Massachusetts. Wayland is a Green Community. It has a adopted the building stretch code, and done many good things. But it now has a chance to support a small wind project in town, and the betting money is it will vote it down. Stop & Shop is part of the larger, mixed-use, already permitted, Wayland Town Center project. At considerable added expense, Stop & Shop proposes a LEED certified store including a white roof, LED lighting, charging stations for cars in the parking lot, one of the largest solar panel arrays in the Commonwealth, state of the art energy efficiency for HVAC and refrigeration, and six small wind vanes … all paid for by Stop & Shop. …
Thursday, June 21, 2012
Wind turbines at Wayland Town Center have been in the discussion for weeks and will remain there for at least a few more days.
Do wind turbines qualify as an accessory use when it comes to zoning at the Wayland Town Center location of Stop & Shop? That’s the question the Wayland Planning Board is mulling as representatives from Stop & Shop argue for permission to erect six, 35-foot tall wind turbines in the parking lot of the grocery store. Wayland Town Counsel Mark Lanza explained during a Tuesday public hearing that the zoning for Wayland Town Center requires that all principal uses for a property be specifically listed. If the item isn't listed as a principal use, and wind turbines are not, it should be considered prohibited. Lanza went on to explain that the only way wind turbines could be considered for the Stop & Shop location was if the board deemed the …
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
The location of the proposed wind turbines has moved to a less obvious place, but now zoning appears to be an issue.
Wind turbines at Wayland Town Center were again up for discussion at a Planning Board public hearing Tuesday night. Representatives from Stop & Shop, which wants to erect the turbines as part of its efforts to achieve LEED certification, have made a significant change to their original plans as presented during a public hearing on March 27. That change? The location. Stop & Shop officials originally wanted to build the turbines along a ridge of grassy land abutting the neighboring properties, but comments from the public and Wayland officials led to reconsideration. Stop & Shop moved the six turbines into the grocery store parking lot where they would be “dual-purpose poles” supporting both the wind turbine and lighting for the parking lot…
Thursday, March 29, 2012
Stop & Shop is proposing a variety of "green" features for its Wayland Town Center location.
Wayland Town Center has been years in the coming, but construction is now well underway. Representatives from Stop & Shop, which plans to open a Wayland Town Center location around Thanksgiving 2012, met with the Wayland Planning Board Tuesday night to present several "green" features planned for the store that will help it achieve LEED certification. Among the suggestions are wind turbines that feature vertical blades rather than the traditional horizontal blades. Read Patch's recap of that meeting, "Stop & Shop Proposes Wind Turbines, LED Lights and More." Now tell us what you think in the comments below: Do you support Wind Tubines at Town Center? Why or why not?
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Several "green" features are planned to help Stop & Shop at Wayland Town Center achieve LEED certification.
Stop & Shop wants to bring more than groceries to Wayland. Electric car charging stations, LED parking lot lights, solar panels and wind turbines were part of a Stop & Shop presentation Tuesday night during a Wayland Planning Board meeting. The green initiatives are part of Stop & Shop’s efforts to earn LEED certification for the Wayland store. Architect David Campbell told the Planning Board and meeting attendees, including abutters to the Town Center site, that the Wayland Stop & Shop location hopes to achieve LEED silver certification, but will at least achieve basic LEED certification. LEED certification is granted based on a point system. Various “green” features earn points and LEED certification levels are granted based on the …
Katrien Vander Straeten
10:24 am on Friday, June 29, 2012
I believe we should gather all the information and have the debate, rather now that the pressure is off, than when the next developer proposes something similar and we're again scrambling to find answers. Transition Wayland is considering putting together a working group on Wind in Wayland. First let's look closely at the data on wind (e.g., a 30 meter and 80 meter wind map of Wayland would be … more ›