First Parish of Sudbury
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Speaking on behalf of First Parish and addressing the $70 thousand dollars for the Town Center Project.
First Parish is a major stakeholder in this project for two reasons: our meetinghouse is located at the intersection of Concord and Hudson Roads and we own the town common.
Before 1836, First Parish and the Town were one in the same. After the separation of church and state, First Parish retained title to town common, altho the Town has full use and maintains the grounds.
We held a Special Congregational meeting in January to determine the congregation's support for the Town Center project.
Any First Parish land transactions need to be approved by the congregation as a whole in a congregational meeting, so, that forum was the best way to get the information needed to provide guidance to the Town.
In order to educate the congregation on the design issues, the Town's task force: SCIAC worked with our own internal task force.
There was a lot of information and we held many, many meetings, both jointly with SCIAC and the Cecil group and with just the congregation.
We got a very wide range and sometimes conflicting feedback the congregation.
SCIAC listened to our concerns, as well as the safety issues of our tenant SED or Sudbury Extended Day.
We were very pleased with the level of cooperation and wish to thank everyone involved.
At our Congregational meeting we did not vote support or oppose this article. Instead articulated three positions:
First: We are nearly unanimous in our support for a survey of the town center.
One of the difficult problems in trying to evaluate the design options is that there is no common understanding of where the asphalt is in relation to our property.
In addition, if there has ever been a survey of the town common, we know of no records.
Second: We are willing to consider conveying land to the Town of Sudbury for changes that may be proposed to Concord Road, Hudson Road and Old Sudbury Road. About 75% of us voted in favor of this.
Many people are convinced that there are serious pedestrian and traffic safety issues.
We would like to proceed after the survey is completed and work with the Town to improve the safety of the intersection.
Our third vote was:
“Based on current understandings, First Parish is willing to convey enough property to the Town of Sudbury to make a right turn lane southbound on Concord Road.”
Only 10% voted for this; 60% OPPOSED; and 30% abstained. A majority does not want a right turn lane for a wide variety of reasons for this.
First Parish has enjoyed a good relationship with the town and we look forward to working with the Town throughout this project and beyond.
Revision 1. Last edited Wed 5 Mar 2008 10:54am by TomYelton