Published in the April 18, 2018 edition

By DAN TOMASELLO

LYNNFIELD — Supporters of the proposed redevelopment of the Sagamore Spring Golf Course made the case for the project during a public hearing held by the Planning Board on April 11.

Pocahontas Way resident Attorney Ted Regnante submitted four warrant articles as part of the proposed Sagamore Spring Golf Club redevelopment project for Town Meeting on Monday, April 30. The project, Fairways Edge at Sagamore, entails building 154 attached over-55 condominiums on 105 acres along the popular course’s eastern side.

The golf holes would remain in their existing location, but the maintenance building would be relocated to the back nine.

“(The project) would keep the existing course in place and the development of units would be along the fairways of the golf course,” said Regnante.

Developer Ron Bonvie, the owner of Mashpee-based Bonvie Homes, has proposed the project. The over-55 condo complex would be built under guidelines established by the Lynnfield Elderly Housing Bylaw.

“All of the units will be two bedroom units and they will be either duplexes, triplexes or quads,” said Regnante. “They will be two-story buildings. The units themselves will be approximately 2,400 to 3,000 square feet. They will look like large Colonial single-family homes. All of the units will have two-car garages.”

Regnante said Article 19 seeks to amend the Lynnfield Zoning Map to rezone a 105,680-acre portion of the golf course from Residence D to Elderly Housing. He said Article 20 would amend the Zoning Bylaw by allowing a private golf course, clubhouse and maintenance building as a “permitted use” in an Elderly Housing District.

“(Golf courses) are presently not allowed,” said Regnante.

The attorney said Article 21 would increase the maximum number of units within an Elderly Housing District from 136 to 154.

Regnante filed a fourth warrant article pertaining to the project, Article 22. This article would allow a residential sewage treatment system be constructed in a Groundwater Protection District subject to the Zoning Board of Appeals approving a special permit. Planning Board Chairman Brian Charville said the Planning Board will be holding a public hearing on Article 22 on Wednesday, April 25, beginning at 7 p.m. in the H. Joseph Maney Meeting Room at Town Hall.

The attorney said the development team has met with the Board of Selectmen, Finance Committee, Fire Department, School Department and has held forums with residents. He noted 200 people attended a recent meeting on April 7.

“This will have a minor impact on the school population because this will be age-restricted,” said Regnante. “One person must be 55 and older, and no children can permanently reside on the property. This is not only under the present bylaw but will be by deed restrictions as well.”

Regnante said the project will generate $1,863,982 million in tax revenue for the town.

“When you take out the cost, the net revenue to the town will be approximately $1,764,732,” said Regnante. “We are also working presently with the town administrator and the Board of Selectmen to come up with a separate mitigation package for the town, which would put considerable dollars in the hands of the town based upon the number of units that are built and sold. I can’t tell (the Planning Board) the terms yet because that is still being negotiated.”

Regnante said the town will also receive rollback taxes because Sagamore is classified as recreation land under Chapter 61B.

“When the portion of the land gets developed, converted and taken out of 61B, the town will get rollback taxes for five years,” said Regnante. “The Assessors Office is in the process of computing that number.”

Regnante said the proposed price for the units at Fairways Edge will range between $700,000 and $900,000. He said the development’s amenities would include a community center, clubhouse, fitness center and possibly an indoor pool.

“We will also be building a tunnel under Main Street so that the golf carts can go under the road,” said Regnante. “We will solve what has become somewhat of a hazard at the present time. Maintenance vehicles will be able to go in this tunnel.”

Bill Bergeron of Hayes Engineering said a traffic study was conducted in March in order to determine the project’s impact. He said traffic counts were done at the Main Street and Lowell Street interaction as well as on Main Street.

Bergeron said the project would generate less traffic than single-family homes because it would be an Elderly Housing district.

“Senior housing does have a lower traffic generation rate than a standard single-family subdivision would have,” said Bergeron.

Bergeron said potential traffic improvements at the Main Street and Lowell Street intersection could be undertaken as part of the project. He said the traffic improvements would address safety issues as well as “increasing the capacity” of the roadway.

“We believe that the proposed improvements would all fit in the existing right-of-way,” said Bergeron. “There will be no land takings. It would just be a realignment of the curb lines, adding some new islands, and putting new stop signs, stop bars and crosswalks in place. If this is done, the intersection will be better than the existing 2018 conditions.”

Bergeron said the proposed tunnel would alleviate traffic on Main Street as well.

Hayes Engineering President Peter Ogren said Fairways Edge would include private roadways, private roadway maintenance and private trash collection. He said there would be plenty of guest parking as well.

Ogren said the development team is looking to establish an agreement with the MWRA in order to purchase water from Peabody instead of the Lynnfield Center Water District.

“We have currently funded a study from Weston and Sampson, who are the engineers for the city of Peabody, in order to determine the feasibility of that,” said Ogren. “I don’t want to put any words in anyone’s mouth, but we have had some discussions with the mayor and I think it’s fair to say as long as it doesn’t overstretch the Peabody water system, they would like to make some kind of arrangement. We think it could be a win-win for Peabody as well as this project.”

If Town Meeting votes to reject the Fairways Edge at Sagamore Spring project, Ogren said an 82-lot subdivision would be built on the golf course.

Residents air concerns

After Regnante, Bergeron and Ogren concluded their presentation, the Planning Board and three residents weighed-in on the proposed project.

In response to a question from Planning Board member Charlie Wills, Bergeron said, “the golf course will not operate as a nine-hole golf course.”

“It’s either going to be an 18-hole golf course or no golf course,” said Bergeron.

Planning Board assistant Susan Lambe read a statement into the public record from Bourque Road resident Paul Marchionda. Marchionda said he opposes the project in the letter.

“I want to make it clear I am not opposed to elderly housing,” Marchionda wrote. “However, I am concerned that the information the developer’s team has provided to date in support of their proposal is not sufficient to support the significant amendments being proposed to our zoning. Specifically, we are being told under the current zoning, a total of 52 homes could be developed on the east side of Main Street and an additional 30 homes could be developed on the west side of Main Street, for a total of 82 homes. However, I am told that no plan demonstrating this number of homes has been submitted to the town, specifically to the Planning Board, for review.”

Patrice Lane Pat Campbell noted the Town Charter stipulates April Town Meeting focus on financial matters such as the town’s operating and capital budgets, while October Town Meeting pertains to zoning issues. Campbell said the town should urge the development team to delay the project until October Town Meeting in order to give residents and local officials more time to evaluate its impact.

Campbell said the development team’s claims that the project will not have an impact on the school system is “misleading.”

“When people in Lynnfield buy homes in this area, they will vacate homes,” said Campbell. “And because of the reputation of our schools, young families will move in.”

Campbell also disagreed with the development team’s claim the project will have a minimal traffic impact because it’s an over-55 development.

“The people I know still work at 55,” Campbell joked.

Former Planning Board member Alan Dresios expressed concerns the project could lead to more Chapter 40B affordable housing units being built in town. He also opposes the proposal to increase the number of elderly housing units from 136 to 154.

“That shouldn’t even be in there,” said Dresios.

Planning Board member John Gioioso said he’s concerned the project would have an impact on the school system.

Mark Fougere of Fougere Planning and Development said building 82 homes instead of 154 elderly housing units would have more of a “significant impact” on Lynnfield Public Schools.

“If this project doesn’t go forward, something else will,” said Fougere.