Recap Of Chapter 40B Public Hearing #11

At the public hearing on Wednesday, June 12, 2024, Kenneth Perro, chairperson of the Millbury Board of Appeals, read our neighborhood’s minimum conditions and responses of Steven Venincasa and James Venincasa (the Developers) into the record for the proposed Chapter 40B Rice Pond Village project, which is planned to be located on Rice Road in Millbury, Massachusetts.

Millbury Board of Appeals members asked some clarifying question on #5, #7, #13, and #14 outlined in Developers Reject Most Of The Neighborhood Conditions, which were clarified by either the neighborhood and community spokesperson, the developers, or town planner or will be referred to Stantec (the town’s peer reviewer) or Millbury’s Department of Public Works (DPW).

Regarding the neighborhood’s minimum condition to install a stop sign and stop line within the right-of-way on Rice Road at the exit of the proposed project site, Steven Venincasa agreed to follow the town's recommendations for its placement. The neighborhood insists on placing the stop sign and stop line within the right-of-way to ensure that the police department can enforce it if individuals fail to stop before entering Rice Road. For those who are unaware, the police department cannot enforce traffic controls on private property.

Following Steven Venincasa and James Venincasa's refusal of the neighborhood's offer to reduce the project to no more than 96 apartments, our neighborhood and community spokesperson expressed disappointment in their unwillingness to collaborate with the neighborhood and community. He then presented a final offer: a maximum of 160 apartments (approximately 83% of the developers' proposal), a minimum parking ratio of 1.7 full-size parking spaces per apartment, and compliance with the remaining 18 minimum conditions established at the previous public hearing. Several meeting participants observed Steven Venincasa taking notes on the specifics of our final offer for an approval with conditions decision by the Millbury Board of Appeals.

The neighborhood proposes to the Millbury Board of Appeals and the developers to limit the project to a maximum of 160 apartments, down from the original 192 (approximately 83%).

The next public hearing for the proposed Chapter 40B Rice Pond Village project will be held on Wednesday, July 10, 2024.