Planning Board to Vote on Quail Ridge Development

Washington isn’t the only place today where a big decision will be voted on. In Acton, the Planning Board with vote on whether or not to approve a plan to build 153 senior-condo units at the Quail Ridge property. On July 19, Pulte Homes of New England, LCC, presented their agenda to remove the north-end 9-holes from the current 18-hole golf course at Quail Ridge and place 153 senior-condo units in its place.

The plan will also involve creating an access road through the abutting community of Acorn Park, where a slim wooden barrier currently separates the two properties. Hazelnut Drive of Acorn Park could become a full access road that public vehicles can drive through and Palmer Road of Acorn Park could become an access way for emergency vehicles to pass through.

Five members from the Planning Board will vote tonight, as Vice Chair, Jeff Clymer, has excused himself from the vote because he is an Acorn Park resident and Kim Montella, excused herself from voting as well because she is a realtor. The plan needs five votes to pass.

Planning Board members:

Bettez

Ryan

Chair

Clymer

Jeff

Vice Chair

Yacouby

Ray

Clerk

Bourdon, III

Roland

Montella

Kim

Woolley Busse

Margaret

Chin

Derrick

The reason this plan was not voted on and approved on July 19 was because of the amount of public outcry from community members representing Acorn Park, voicing their concerns about the access roads that will lead into their community.

Acorn Park residents, Yingmu and Ally Zhong, Wei Li and Yang Liu, all voiced there concerns at the July 19 public meeting about what they believe will be an increased traffic/safety issue if Hazelnut Street becomes open access between the two properties. Jeff Clymer also provided the Planning Board with a presentation proclaiming that allowing public access from the Quail Ridge property to Acorn Park will significantly increase the amount of traffic on the “already narrow streets” of Acorn Park – "a place where a lot of children play."

“I would say to please not allow public access through Hazelnut Street – it’s not needed since there will be an emergency vehicle access through Palmer Road,” said Clymer.'

Planning Board member, Ray Yacouby, firmly disagrees.

“We’ve spent a lot of public time on this issue and the issues that Jeff raised are correct ones but come and live in Nagog Park, we have the same issues and curvy roads where kids play is not a unique issue to Acorn Park,” said Yacouby. “People drive like idiots and for us to spend anymore time on this particular issue when there are a bunch of other ones, is a waste. It does not address the contents of what we are supposed to be talking about.”

The will meet tonight at 7:30 p.m. in the Faulkner Room of the to vote on this issue.