Crucial Fire Safety Concerns For Rice Pond Village
When considering the Chapter 40B Rice Pond Village project, it's imperative to assess fire safety concerns integral to Steven Venincasa and James Venincasa's plans. Despite existing guidelines in the Massachusetts Comprehensive Fire Safety Code and the Massachusetts State Building Code, these codes appear disregarded by the developers and their project engineer. This oversight isn't unfamiliar for this developer. Upon scrutiny against our local zoning bylaw, subdivision rules, comprehensive permit rules and regulations, you'll identify a substantial list of disregarded or overlooked requirements in their proposed development plans. They seem to consistently operate by doing as they please, regardless of local or state regulations, often delaying the submission of required documentation and plans. This conduct seems rooted in sheer arrogance and a dismissive attitude. Observing the Millbury Planning Board's public hearings regarding the previously denied Rice Pond Village project featuring 46 condominiums, you'll recognize this recurring pattern. Evidently, this behavior is noticeable in their Highland Ridge project situated in Berlin, particularly concerning the ongoing wetlands protection compliance issues that have persisted for approximately a year now, with multiple Stop Work Orders being issued.
Neighboring communities have raised concerns about fire and building code statutes with these developers (provided herein below). Will the Millbury Fire Department's review encompass these and other codes as part of their project comments and conditions? Given that the Town of Millbury operates with a volunteer on-call fire department, ensuring public safety should stand as their foremost priority when reviewing and commenting on the proposed Chapter 40B Rice Pond Village project. If approved, this project would become the single largest multifamily development in Millbury.
527 CMR Massachusetts Comprehensive Fire Safety Code
18.2.3.2.2.1 Minimum Building Access. When buildings are protected throughout with an approved automatic sprinkler system that is installed in accordance with NFPA 13: Standard for the Installation of Sprinkler Systems the distance in Section 18.2.3.2.2 shall be permitted to be increased to 250 feet.
18.2.3.3 Multiple Access Roads. More than one fire department access road shall be provided when it is determined by the Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) that access by a single road could be impaired by vehicle congestion, condition of terrain, climatic conditions, or other factors that could limit access.
18.2.3.4.8 Travel in the Opposing Lane. The use of the opposite travel lane is prohibited in the design of all new fire apparatus access roads.
780 CMR Massachusetts State Building Code
427.9 Fire Department Access Roadways. Fire department access roadways shall be provided on at least two sides of the building with such access to be approved by the head of the fire department prior to any construction. Fire hydrants shall be provided in locations approved by the head of the fire department.
Accessing the proposed site on Rice Road is through one entry point due to natural barriers like terrain, active railroad tracks, Rice Pond, wetlands, and single-family properties obstructing other potential routes, which makes no sense from a public safety perspective.
Steven Venincasa and James Venincasa's proposed development raises serious concerns regarding public safety, particularly in terms of fire department access. Across the three four-story buildings proposed to accommodate 192 apartments, there are glaring deficiencies: only one access point exists to the site, situated along Rice Road—a road known for its limited and often poor vehicular access at both ends.
This single access point poses significant potential delays in emergency response. Various factors, from obstructive vehicles to adverse weather conditions, power lines, fallen trees, or utility poles, could compound these delays. In any emergency, every second matters, yet the current plans lack any alternative access routes.
Consider the landscape: the Providence & Worcester Railroad traverses the site's northern perimeter as an active freight line. To the south lies Rice Pond, wetlands, and residential clusters of single-family homes. Meanwhile, National Grid's power transmission lines dominate the western side of the proposed development area, creating an impassable easement that cannot be reached by trucks and is likely unsuitable for fire equipment use due to accessibility and wetlands. The water supply from Rice Pond is seasonal, shallow, and inadequate for serving as a supplemental source of water to combat fires. The same is true in the case of Simpson’s Pond, although deeper and less seasonal than Rice Pond.
These site-specific challenges demand thorough examination before even considering any type of granting approval. Maintaining optimism is crucial, but preparing for worst-case scenarios is imperative. Such preparation could be the key to saving lives during emergencies—events that often unfold unpredictably and demand swift, unobstructed access for response teams for fire, police, and emergency medical services.
Our neighborhood prioritizes public safety above all else, closely followed by concerns regarding the environmental impacts on Rice Pond, the wetlands, and wildlife habitats. Any development initiative should enhance our community, not introduce risks that have the potential to endanger human lives.
Every town official, board member, committee, and employee should be required to conduct a thorough examination of every facet of this project. This scrutiny is crucial to ensure that any approval granted guarantees safety and avoids creating liabilities for the town and its residents.