Published in the May 2, 2018 edition.

By DAN TOMASELLO

LYNNFIELD — Town Meeting hit the brakes on the proposed Sagamore Spring Golf Spring Golf Club redevelopment project on Monday.

Atty. Ted Regnante, a Pocahontas Way resident, submitted four warrant articles as part of the proposed redevelopment project, which were Articles 19 to 22. The Fairways Edge at Sagamore project entailed building 154 attached over-55 condominiums on 105 acres along the popular course’s eastern side.

Developer Ron Bonvie, the owner of Mashpee-based Bonvie Homes, proposed the Fairways Edge project. The over-55 condo complex would have been built under guidelines established by the Lynnfield Elderly Housing Bylaw. The golf holes would have remained in their existing location, but the maintenance building would have been relocated to the back nine.

While voters approved Article 19 by a 171-136 margin, it failed to receive the required two-thirds vote needed for the zoning change. Article 19 would have amended the Lynnfield Zoning Map by rezoning a 105,680-acre portion of the golf course from Residence D to Elderly Housing.

Subsequently, Regnante requested that Articles 20, 21 and 22 be referred to the Planning Board for further study. Town Meeting agreed to refer the three articles to the Planning Board for review.

Article 20 would have amended the Zoning Bylaw by allowing a private golf course, clubhouse and maintenance building in an Elderly Housing District. Article 21 would have increased the maximum number of units within an Elderly Housing District from 136 to 154. Article 22 would have allowed a residential sewage treatment system be constructed in a Groundwater Protection District subject to the Zoning Board of Appeals approving a special permit.

The Board of Selectmen, Finance Committee and Planning Board recommended all four warrant articles.

Project overview

Regnante gave an overview of the proposed project to Town Meeting. He said the proposed Fairways Edge project would “preserve all 18 holes of the Sagamore Golf Course.” He said approving Article 19 would allow “the Luff and Strobel families to continue to independently own and operate the golf club just as they have done since 1929.”

The attorney said the project would generate over $1.8 million in revenue annually and the net revenue for the town would be $1,764,732 annually. He said the town would receive $700,000 in building permit fees. Regnante noted Bonvie Homes and local officials negotiated a mitigation package worth about $1.7 million, which included making traffic improvements to the Main Street and Lowell Street intersection.

Hayes Engineering President Peter Ogren said his firm created a plan for redeveloping the Sagamore Spring Golf Club in 2006. He said 82 single-family homes could be built on the course.

“The traffic generation, sewage generation and all of the impacts that would normally be felt by a community would be much less with an elderly housing proposal,” said Ogren.

Ogren said the development team reached a tentative development agreement with the MWRA in order to receive water via the city of Peabody. He said a traffic study was conducted recently, and said elderly housing would generate less traffic than single-family homes.

TM weighs-in

After Regnante and Ogren concluded their presentation, voters weighed in on the proposed Fairways Edge project.

Linda Vallis, 109 Lowell St., inquired why the development team proposed building 154 units instead of 136.

Ogren said the development team proposed increasing the number of units because of “economies of scale.”

Donna Cashman, 1067 Main St., said traffic improvements have already been made to the Four Corners intersection, and questioned why more improvements were being proposed. She inquired if the project would lead to more Chapter 40B affordable housing units in town.

Regnante said 11.5 percent of the town’s housing units are classified under Chapter 40B. He noted site work is underway on a Chapter 40B project located at 2 Broadway.

“Once a building permit is issued for that project, the town will get credit for its inventory for 64 affordable units,” said Regnante. “That is a rental project and the town will get credit for all of the rental units. Lynnfield will have 640 units of protected housing in the future even when the new Census comes out in 2020. We are well protected from any 40B in Lynnfield.”

Ogren said the development team proposed making improvements to the intersection in order to alleviate traffic congestion, particularly during the afternoon and night.

Ken Peterson, 1477 Main St., said Main Street is “one of the most dangerous roads in the state.” He said the proposed development would make the problem worse.

“I am concerned about safety and traffic,” said Peterson. “On upper Main Street, people drive by my house at 60 to 70 miles per hour. The Police Department cannot make a pinch out there because it’s a narrow two-lane road. It’s a high traffic and dangerous area.”

In response to a question from Patrice Lane resident Pat Campbell, Selectmen Chairman Dick Dalton said, “the town has expressed no interest in purchasing the golf course.”

Town Counsel Tom Mullen said the Board of Selectmen believes the mitigation agreement signed by the board and the development team “is a way to control and manage the development of the land.”

Finance Committee member Bob Priestley inquired about the the impact on town services if single-family homes are built instead of over-55 housing.

If between 52 and 82 single-family homes are built on the golf course, Mark Fougere of Fougere Planning and Development projected between 71 to 112 children would live in homes built on the golf course. He also said the project would have an impact on town services, particularly the Police and Fire Departments.

David Kulakowski, 17 Munroe St., urged Town Meeting to reject the project because of traffic.

“It’s going to exacerbate the traffic problem,” said Kulalowski. “This isn’t going to affect just Main Street. It’s going to affect a lot of the town. We don’t need this.”

Kulalowski also accused the development team of exaggerating the impact building single-family homes would have on the town’s schools.

“People do not have large families anymore,” said Kulalowski. “I would predict that if they did the 82 units, you would have 40 kids at best.”

After the discussion on the four Sagamore articles concluded, Priestley made a motion requesting Town Meeting to reconsider Article 19.

Robert Prosperi, 6 Charing Cross, urged Town Meeting to support the Fairways Edge project.

“This project is incredibly good for the town of Lynnfield,” said Prosperi. “I don’t understand why it got turned down.”

Russet Lane resident Stephanie Rauseo said the Fairways Edge project would create more traffic in town.

“Main Street and Lowell Street are already congested,” said Rauseo.

Finance Committee member Kevin Sullivan, who lives on Main Street, said he supports the project despite having concerns about traffic.

“I have had the same concern about traffic, but I considered it carefully and I think this is the best alternative for the town,” said Sullivan.

After the discussion, Town Meeting voted not to reconsider Article 19 by a vote of 148-122.