Two citizens' petitions look to quell the direction of developments that the adjacent towns of Sutton and Millbury have taken.
While one in Sutton focuses on warehouses and industrial developments and the one in Millbury raises concerns from multifamily housing projects, each cites worries about preserving town character.
In Sutton, the petition was initiated by James Marran, a former business executive, who in retirement owns the historic Freegrace Marble Farm. He says he has grown to appreciate Sutton like he did the small town in New Jersey where he grew up.
The town's zoning bylaws limit building height to 35 feet, but with a special permit issued by the Sutton Planning Board, developers can erect buildings up to 70 feet.
Marran’s petition, which has collected 16 signatures, looks to amend the zoning bylaw by reducing the special permit height limit to 45 feet.
The petition was approved Monday evening by the Sutton Planning Board, this way sending it to Town Meeting after a 3-2 vote followed a discussion among board members and residents.
The Sutton Town Meeting will be held on May 8.
"This town is special," said Marran. "This is just a mitigation measure to maintain a rural character."
Even if it is approved, the change would not affect any current warehouse developments in town, all of which are under 45 feet in height. Marran says his goal would be to make a strong statement to “hopefully initiate a dialogue” about the town’s direction.
One project under construction, developed by UN1F1ED² Global Packaging, is a million-square-foot warehouse and manufacturing space off Providence and Boston Roads – the third of its kind in Sutton.
Others, also under construction, total to over 800,000-square feet - Blackstone Logistics, a 640,000-square-foot warehouse distribution facility and 3 Lackey Dam Road, a 179,122-square-foot distribution center.
Another project that is expected to appear in front of town boards called Cubes@Pyne, looks to propose a three-distribution center project with a total of 2.8 million square feet - all under 45 feet in height.
Marran says the developments have an aesthetic and a physical impact on the town’s “rural character,” and he is also concerned about the increase in traffic of what he says will be 7,900 trips per day, if all projects are added together.
“These roads can’t take any more traffic,” said Marran.
Marran said the town’s attractiveness has made it a target for development.
“We are a victim of our own success,” said Marran.
Moratorium in Millbury
Meanwhile, in Millbury, Steve Stearns, an IT professional is looking at Town Meeting on May 2, after his petition was unanimously approved by the Millbury Planning Board.
His petition looks for more concrete action, by asking for an 18-month moratorium to freeze the approval of special permit or site plan review for multifamily housing in town.
Stearns said to have been motivated to submit the petition after looking at condominium and apartment developments approved by the town such as Stafford Village, Clearview Homes, Cobblestone Village Apartments and Canal Street Apartments.
The most concerning to him is Rice Pond Village, a 192-unit affordable housing development that seeks approval by the Zoning Board of Appeals. The developers, SJV Investments, had previously pitched a 46-condominium project that was struck down in early 2022 by the Millbury Planning Board.
The 18-month moratorium, according to Stearns, looks to create a pause that gives the town enough time to address the effects of such structures in the town regarding traffic and tax revenue.
Stearns says that his goal is to make sure that “developments are in harmony with the area,” an expression that he quotes from the town’s master plan.
“We don’t feel this is what is happening,” said Stearns.
Stearns strongly stated that he was not looking to prevent housing from developing in Milbury, writing in bold in the petition that “multifamily residential projects do have a place in Millbury.”
However, he says that public safety is at risk from these projects with traffic increasing in the town of almost 14,000 residents.
“We just want them to be done appropriately and responsibly and to not exacerbate public safety,” said Stearns. “The concern is that the character and the feel of the town will change if these (projects) are not put in the right places.”