Have you ever actually walked around the ward and asked anyone what they thought about anything? This is NOT the only disaster going on in N. Woburn right now. It is true, you are taking a stand on this project, The rest of the ward is collapsing! Seriously. A CVS? are you unaware of the traffic situation at that spot? You must be because you remain silent. Changes to the St. Anthony project? silent again. You seem to let the ward 2 alderman do the talking for you. What about YOU? are you blind to the situation? Or you are just doing the time to get the small pension, What about 1071 main? what will be the stand you take there? You have let this eyesore exist for years. For once. Pick a weekend and WALK THE WARD! people do not want CVS. people DO NOT WANT more expansion at St. Anthony. The ledges perhaps can be scaled down. But it is not the only project proposed for N/ Woburn. Take a stand! as of now, you are hanging us out to dry. Funny how we never read your name in the paper about any issue except this. St. Anthony's you remained pretty quiet, The mess at the dunkin strip mall? you remain quiet except for the sandwiches. The CVS fiasco? quiet again... unbeliveable

Still time to write or call and let the board of appeals and let them know how this will affect you, your family, your property,your health, and safety.

The site work is more than tripled since their original permit the developers stand to make millions on the material removed for this site development while all our lives are interupted

Part 1: The due diligence is done. Over the past year we have all learned more about blasting, rock face slopes, ambient noise levels, silica dust, etc than we thought we would ever need to know. It boils down to the Boards legal ability to deny the petition.
Are there valid health, safety, environmental or other local concerns that outweigh the regional need for housing. I am not a lawyer, but reading through the last court decision from 9/26/2006 (on the City of Woburn website / Boards ), I would think there has been enough "testimony" if you will that the board should deny and should the pettitioner again appeal I would refer to the following (for starters). The decision states
that rock removal is a well developed construction technique when done safely. It is also noted on page 9 rebuttal section by the petitioners that "There is no evidence that any specific problems will be created by this, other than a certain amount of inconvenience to immediate neighbors." One could argue that the original estimate of two months site preparation of the property to the fluctuating scale of one year plus of blasting, drilling, condensing of materials and trucking goes beyond inconvenience and disruptive to intolerable and then the building begins!

Part 2: We have heard the personal stories of abutters that have resided for decades and generations in the area regarding post traumatic stress syndrome, allergies, asthma, elderly care and a woman with disabilities that has the opportunity to work from home and how that could impact her productivity. Personally, I am expecting my first grandchild next month and will be assisting with daycare. Will I be able to walk the stroller in our neighborhood, leave my windows open wondering what might be filtering into baby lungs? Remember when asbestos was standard building material?
As to the asthetics, the redesigned buildings may be more pleasing, but lets add the existing abutter properties to the artist rendering of a serene peaceful space as well as the 70 foot wall of ledge which exceeds the buildings projected 50 ft height a good portion of the residents would have as their only view.
As residents, we should be allowed the opportunity for this to go back to the Housing Appeals and be re-examined. The scope has changed such that this could become the test case and set limits and precedents for future deveolpments and overrides.

Deb. both excellent points! but Unfortunately I think it's going to go through anyways. Developers in North Woburn seem to get what they want anyways. But we can still scream loud! We need to keep it up front. and be heard By attending meetings and writing letters and phone calls. We need to let the City fathers know exactly how we feel. It's too bad we don't have a strong government voice. For some reason he remains fairly quiet on all N. Woburn issues, We must do it ourselves, Congratulations on your first grandchild! My daughter just had a baby last week! my first also! It is a feeling that is just euphoric! Wonderful bundle of joy! Congratulations!

The blame falls on the voters who elect State reps that do nothing but expand government, increase taxes and create laws like those pertaining to 40b housing. Laws that remove cities and towns ability to determine what is allowed and what is not. Woburn is infested with low income housing while other towns have very little to none. Housing that was once created to take care of our veterans and elderly is now shelter for groups and individuals that are enabled by our State and Federal government to remain in perpetual poverty. This project should be stopped for a number of reasons; However, I fear that in this "keep voting for the incumbent", "One party" state, the accountability needed to stop this project does not seem to exist.

When we have state laws trumping those at the city level there is nothing anyone can do.