Opinion

Letter to the editor: Essex needs pro's guidance on Conomo Point options


Published: November 7, 2009

To the editor:

On Monday, Nov. 9, two articles relative to Conomo Point will be before the public for a vote at the Special Town Meeting.

Article 1 asks for funds to extend the contract with Horsely Whitten Associates for additional support to move the definitive sub-division for Southern Conomo Point through the approval process and to bring the necessary zoning bylaw amendment to the Annual Town Meeting in May 2010.

Article 2 asks the town to approve $25,000 to extend the contract with planner Carolyn Britt to provide technical planning assistance to the town for the land north of Robbins Island Road (NRIR).

As the next stage of the process, the Conomo Point Planning Committee has asked Taintor & Associates to assist them in identifying the parameters of possible future uses and facilitating the exploration of options for use of the land NRIR; this includes committee and public meetings, developing three land use scenario options (private use, mix of private and public use, public use); developing cost analyses of those options (including the cost of demolishing, removing, reuse of existing structures and infrastructure, which includes pipes, septic systems, etc.); and quantifying the fiscal implications of those possibilities, preparing a final report, which includes a plan for future use and next steps.

I plan to support the measure. No matter what the town finally decides to do on Conomo Point, we need the guidance of a professional planner to understand the full scope of the options available to us and a comprehensive examination of the work involved and costs of these options.

Ann Cameron

Pickering Street, Essex