Mixed Feelings on Walden Woods-Milford Trail Proposal

Is it a good deal for Milford to remove an age restriction on the condo development at Walden Woods, for completion of the Milford Upper Charles Trail? It depends who is asked.

The proposed swap — of the over-55 limitation for condo sales for the completed one-mile segment — drew a mixed reaction from residents attending the Planning Board public hearing Tuesday.

The developer of Walden Woods, a 300-acre condominium community, is seeking town permission to lift the age restriction on the sale of 41 of its 165 units. Instead of creating new playing fields for Milford children — the original plan to provide for a "substantial" recreational facility as required in its 1995 approval — the developer now wants to complete the missing segment in the Milford bike trail.

Market conditions have changed, and the developer wants to be able to sell the newly constructed units to a broader population, said Joseph Antonellis, an attorney representing Milford Stoneridge, developer of Walden Woods. "It's easier to sell a non-restricted unit," Antonellis said.

In the Boston Globe, the condos are advertised as starting in the mid-$300s, and appealing to "a first time home buyer" as much as a "mature couple." So far, 20 of the 41 units targeted for the over-55 market have been sold, Antonellis told Planning Board members.

The developer has proposed completing the rail trail, as opposed to providing parkland for the town, because the trail project has already been designed and permitted. "It's absolutely ready to go," Antonellis said.

An analysis prepared for the town of Milford, as part of the trail planning effort, put the value of the completed final segment at $920,000.

The Planning Board took the matter under advisement, to give members time to review the proposal. In a public hearing Tuesday, which filled the meeting room to capacity, several people spoke.

Jamie Wheelock, a resident of Cunniff Avenue, questioned why the town would consider allowing a developer to change its authorized plan. The proposal amounts to "the tail wagging the dog" and sets a dangerous precedent for other developers, he argued.

"I'm completely opposed," he said. "The rail trail will wait for a time when the town has more money."

Others argued the town should remain committed to the expansion of playing fields for children. The developer, Antonellis said, was not able to secure clear title to a property adjoining Walden Woods, a process that could take several years.

Joseph Arcudi, chairman of the Milford Parks Commission, questioned whether the trail component "was a done deal." The commission first learned of the proposed exchange — trail completion for the age requirement — four weeks ago, he said. The parks commission was still looking at getting playing fields constructed under the Walden Woods development plan. "Is that still an option, or is the rail trail a done-deal?"

Others advocated strongly for approving the deal, including several members of the Friends of the Milford Upper Charles Trail. Milford's professional staff, including the town engineer and the town planner, both have recommended approving the plan. And the Milford Selectmen are co-sponsors of the proposal.

Reno DeLuzio, chairman of the Milford Upper Charles Trail Committee, called it a "golden opportunity" to complete the trail. The only other option for the town is to seek funds through Town Meeting approval, which is problematic, he said.

"Here's a golden opportunity to do it."

Steve Daley, a resident of Emerson Lane, told Planning Board members the trail is something that Milford should take pride in. The completed, off-road paved trail wil connect Milford to Hopkinton and Holliston, and eventually to other communities. Holliston is moving ahead on its bike trail, which will link to Sherborn, and through that town, to Framingham.

"This is a link from town to town to town," Daley said. "This is a great deal. We ought to take it."