Viewing a single comment thread. View all comments

legalpretzel t1_jcn8kld wrote

I expect they will find ways to resist as long as they can the same way they fought Mobil over the awnings at the gas station in the center of town.

Edit: the only subsidized housing is a tiny elderly/disabled complex, so the selectmen fighting this really only screws those residents and the Worcester Housing Authority. I would LOVE to see the state and WHA sue Holden to force compliance. Stupid Holden.

26

baldymcbaldyface t1_jcnevsm wrote

What’s the backstory to the Mobil awnings? I doubt the state will actually pull funding for affordable housing in any of these towns. It’s all a bluff.

5

darksideofthemoon131 t1_jcpc7p2 wrote

The center of town 31/122A is zoned historical. They restrict colors on homes and signage to keep main street "quaint." It's why Mc Donald's can't have the arches.

The Mobil station wanted to cover the pumps to bring in more customers. The town said no. They resisted, owner sued (I think) and won but the awnings had to be consistent with historic area so they are wood or faux wood, which cost a lot more because it had to be flame resistant or something.

They basically tried to fuck the business.

The town is notorious for their control over people's private property. It's like one big Homeowners Association.

7

baldymcbaldyface t1_jcpq2ja wrote

Interesting. Thanks for the detailed response. I knew it was a historic area but didn’t know the lengths they went to to try and keep it that way. Historic and quaint is great however if they really wanted to improve the center of town, I can think of at least 10 buildings that are in need of immediate repairs and cleaning up.

2

darksideofthemoon131 t1_jcpra8k wrote

>I can think of at least 10 buildings that are in need of immediate repairs and cleaning up.

The owners probably can't afford to fix them up because anything done is required to be kept historical- which increases the cost ten fold.

About 35 years ago the town had a lot of "townies" and it was also an Era of mass building going on. The newer people set stricter rules and forced a lot of the "townies" out. Staples of the town like the junkyard, Gibsons, and the local Holden Market were shuttled out in lieu of "quaint" streets and the Big Y.

They were once kind of hicks, then went to snobs almost overnight.

1

baldymcbaldyface t1_jcpw27s wrote

It will be interesting to see what happens over the next 10 years. I find it funny that they will allow developers to chop down beautiful forest land (Bailey Rd) to build what will no doubt be a huge development of overpriced, cheaply built residential housing.

3

bartnd t1_jd2zr82 wrote

This is what annoys me as well. I'm in somewhat agreement on the MBTA issue in the fact that they're relinquishing control to the state for some zoning because they're adjacent to....the wonderful service the MBTA provides?

But at the same time it's like their paying people to build up more and more developments without taking anything else into account. They just built a new middle school which is already running out of space and yet they're still approving more permits which will add more strain to the schools.

2

FIFAFanboy2023 t1_jcyupx3 wrote

This sounds exactly like what happened in Holliston in the late 90s.

2

Hold2ArmBar t1_jcngsom wrote

The Golden Holden believers will be chomping at the bit to talk down to any multi-family residents in town.

Is the apartment complex still behind the Wong?

1

instantinternet t1_jcnessl wrote

I hope holden fights it. Keep the poors out as long as possible

−23