http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/news/local_regional/fram_cluster02122003.htm

By Peter Reuell
Wednesday, February 12, 2003

FRAMINGHAM -- The town's first cluster zoning project cleared its first 
hurdle last night as the Planning Board unanimously approved a special 
permit for the long-awaited project.

The vote doesn't clear the way for construction crews, though.

With the permit in hand, the developer can now move forward with a 
subdivision plan for the property on Nobscot Hill, an area of town where 
houses have fetched the highest prices.

The vote came after two sticking points were resolved.

The first was a disagreement over what the town would pay for an easement 
on the property, which would allow Framingham to bring municipal water 
service to residents of the nearby Doeskin subdivision.

It is worth more than $30,000, but budget constraints limited the town to 
$10,500. Town Meeting set aside $18,000 for the project and $7,500 of that 
has already been spent, Town Engineer John Bertorelli said.

"I`m limited to $10,500, unless I go back to Town Meeting," he said.

Developers eventually agreed to the smaller payment, and will determine 
other, in-kind contributions from the town for the balance.

The second sticking point was open space on the property. Developers 
agreed to put up $10,000 toward maintenance of the open space, with the 
expectation that the town would turn the land over to a third party, like 
the Sudbury Valley Trustees, for preservation.

By last night, however, the SVT hadn't agreed to the deal, forcing the 
Planning Board to strike an intermediate deal.

The land will be turned over to the town's Conservation Commission. Then, 
if the SVT accepts the land, the town can shift it to the non-profit 
group. SVT's board will meet in late March.

-- 
-Time flies like the wind. Fruit flies like a banana. Stranger things have -
-happened but none stranger than this. Does your driver's license say Organ
-Donor?Black holes are where God divided by zero. Listen to me! We are all-
-individuals! What if this weren't a hypothetical question?
steveo at syslang.net

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