NIMBYs are the Real Monster

Wednesday, December 27, 2017

My hometown of Wayland, MA has been infested for some time with signs reading “STOP THE MONSTER!” I finally looked up what “the monster” is and learned about two different 40B housing projects being proposed along Rte. 20. My research revealed traffic, building size, ecological disturbance, water management, and socio-economic disruption as the primary concerns of protesting residents (categorized by urban planners as NIMBYs – an acronym which stands for “not in my back yard.”) Interestingly, none of the articles I found on the debate describe what 40B housing is.

40B refers to the section of the Massachusetts general laws titled Comprehensive Permit and Zoning Appeals Act, originally called “Anti-Snob Zoning Laws,” passed in 1969. If anywhere could use anti-snob zoning, it’s Wayland.

My parents met in Wayland when they were 12 years old and chose to raise my brother and I in the same utopic suburb. Growing up in this affluent suburban community known for its excellent public schools afforded me many privileges in life, including the opportunity to study architecture and visual art at Roger Williams University, where I graduated in 2014. The combination of my privilege and strong work ethic have landed me at the Rhode Island School of Design where I will be graduating with a master of landscape architecture degree this May. Much of my research and writing at RISD has revolved around the politics of public space and my current thesis work is looking at gentrification and affordable housing in Boston, MA. (Landscape architecture, by the way, is commonly misunderstood, so instead of garden design, think eco-social engineering.)

Wayland’s cost of living has driven my family out, but I still pass through every time I’m back in the area. It fills me with nostalgia more and more as I watch it change. First it was the new town center and the new high school. Last summer, my cousin sent me a picture of the house I spent my childhood in, absent of the landmark massive blue spruce in the front yard (I used to tell my playdates “I live in the house with the wicked big Christmas tree – they always knew which one I meant.) Most recently, Finerty’s restaurant has been replaced by a new CVS and my grandfather’s home, which once perched at the top of a wooded hill on Lincoln Rd., has been torn down to make way for several massive new homes. I’m telling you this to say that I understand where the NIMBYs are coming from – change hurts. Home is sacred but not treated as such in our modern, transient society.

That said, I am in full support of the 40B housing projects on Rte. 20. Remember that change and progress go hand-in-hand. Every Massachusetts town is required to provide 10% affordable housing. How much does Wayland offer? A whopping 4. The need for affordable housing far exceeds what is required to be provided and most districts aren’t even meeting those requirements. This is not only unlawful, it is unethical. Adequate housing in good communities should be a basic human right.

Quite frankly, it is appalling that such a liberal, affluent community is so afraid of diversification and is a perfect example of the “subtle racism” that perpetuates systems of oppression in this country.

The concerns put forth by residents including traffic issues, water management, and environmental damage are fair, but can absolutely be addressed through design. Continued involvement from the community and agreements with the developer can assure that these concerns are addressed adequately in the final outcome. As for the socio-economic concerns, shame on the NIMBYs of Wayland. You are the reason for Wayland's homogeneity. The Greater Boston area is one of the most segregated in the country, much of which is a direct result of the exclusivity and elitism of suburban residents like those protesting this so-called “monster.”

As we ring in the new year, take a closer look back on the national turmoil of 2017. Remember that thousands of us flocked to Boston to protest President Trumps discriminatory policies, but seem to ignore those enforced in our own local communities. Wayland Public Schools taught me that America is the great melting pot. If we want our country to celebrate diversity and acceptance, we have to practice tolerance in our own community first.

Sources:

2017. <protectwayland.org>.

Callini, Naomi Lathan and Julia. "Stop the Monster: Two Sides of the Debate." Wayland Student Press Network. Wayland, 2 October 2017. Forum.

Hays, Mark. "Have You Heard About the Mahoney Monster?" Wayland eNews. Wayland, 16 March 2017. Forum.

"Large concrete apartment block at Mahoney's Garden Center." Wayland Patch. Wayland, 14 May 2017. May 11 Wayland Conservation Committee Recap.

Krefetz, Sharon Perlman. "Anti-Snob Zoning." Interboro. The Arsenal of Exclusion and Inclusion. New York: Actar Publishers, 2017. 47-49.

Waack, Richard. "Wayland's Waack: Stop the Monster." Wicked Local. Wayland, 17 September 2017. Letter to the Editor.

Wayland Housing Partnership. Housing - Wayland, MA. Wayland, 20 January 2015. PDF.