To the Westminster Zoning Board of Appeals, Town Boards, Committees, and Relevant Reviewing Authorities:

We, the undersigned residents, taxpayers, abutters, neighboring community members, and concerned citizens, submit this petition to formally express strong opposition to the proposed “The Village at Westminster,” also referred to as the proposed 48-unit Chapter 40B development at 5 Adams Street, currently under review off Main Street near Adams Street, Bacon Street, and the surrounding corridor in Westminster, Massachusetts.

Today, many residents continue asking the same question: “Is this project already a done deal?”

Our answer is NO.

This proposal remains under active review, and the community deserves to have its concerns clearly heard, documented, and fully considered before any decision is made.

This petition reflects growing concern regarding the potential long-term impacts this project may have on:

• public safety,
• traffic congestion,
• emergency response access,
• environmental systems,
• drainage and hydrology,
• infrastructure and utility capacity,
• historic character,
• neighborhood integrity,
• and overall quality of life within the broader Main Street corridor and surrounding community.

This petition is not rooted in opposition to housing itself. Rather, it reflects concern that this particular proposal, in this particular location, may create impacts incompatible with the surrounding area, existing infrastructure, environmental conditions, and historic landscape of Westminster.

COMMUNITY CONCERNS
Public Safety & Emergency Access

• Increased traffic congestion along Adams Street, Main Street, Bacon Street, and surrounding roadways
• Limited roadway capacity and concerns regarding safe ingress and egress
• Potential impacts to police, fire, and EMS response times
• Concerns regarding pedestrian safety and traffic flow within the village corridor

Environmental & Hydrologic Concerns

• Potential impacts to Burnt Mill Brook and surrounding wetlands/hydrologic systems
• Questions regarding stormwater runoff, drainage, flooding, and downstream impacts
• Historic maps showing long-standing interaction between the brook and the proposed development area
• Concerns that this area remained largely undeveloped through centuries of settlement and town growth due to environmental and hydrologic limitations that still appear relevant today

Infrastructure & Utility Concerns

• Concerns regarding sewer, water, and utility capacity
• Off-site impacts affecting surrounding residential properties and infrastructure systems
• Questions regarding long-term strain on town resources and infrastructure

Historic, Cultural & Community Character

• Impacts to the historic village landscape and surrounding corridor
• Concerns regarding the proposed gated-style Main Street entrance concept and its incompatibility with the open and historic character of Westminster
• Preservation of the visual, environmental, historic, and cultural integrity of the neighborhood and corridor
• Appreciation for the potential archaeological and cultural significance of the landscape, including its proximity to historic waterways, wetlands, and possible historic Indigenous travel corridors associated with the Nipmuc Nation and early settlement history of the region
• Concerns that large-scale grading, blasting, excavation, and dense development could permanently alter or destroy historically and culturally significant landscape features before they are fully understood or documented

Transparency & Public Confidence

• Concerns regarding procedural transparency and consistency
• Desire for full accountability and complete public review
• Importance of maintaining public trust in the local review process

MESSAGE FROM THE COMMUNITY TO THE ZBA
We respectfully urge the Westminster Zoning Board of Appeals to reject and deny the proposed “The Village at Westminster” / 48-unit Chapter 40B development at 5 Adams Street currently under review.

We believe the scale, location, and cumulative impacts of this proposal raise serious concerns affecting the health, safety, welfare, infrastructure, environmental stability, and character of Westminster.

We respectfully ask the ZBA to fully exercise its authority, carefully weigh the growing public record, and prioritize the long-term interests of the community in its decision-making process.

The community’s message is clear:

We ask the ZBA to say NO to this proposal.

The community’s voice matters.
The public record matters.
And the future character, safety, infrastructure, and integrity of Westminster matters.

For residents or community members who do not feel comfortable signing an online petition, printed hard-copy petitions will also be available throughout the community to ensure everyone has an opportunity to participate and have their voice included in the public record.