Wilmington Special Town Meeting Approves $1.7M Purchase of Main Street Property

Wilmington Special Town Meeting approved the purchase of land at 120 Main St. Wednesday night at Wilmington Middle School. 

In a resounding 197-9 vote, residents approved the expenditure of $1,725,000 from available cash to purchase the 7.86 parcel, formerly part of St. Dorothy's Church, from the Archdiocese of Boston. 

Selectmen Chairman Michael McCoy presented the article, and informed voters that Town Manager Jeff Hull was first contacted by the Archdiocese in February concerning the property.

McCoy said there is not yet a planned use for the property at 120 Main St.

"I'm not in favor of doing something this year, next year or the following year," McCoy said. "I think it's to the town's best advantage to purchase this property for future use. We have the money to do so and I think it just is common sense to do so."

According to Hull, 120 Main St. is currently zoned residential. 

Hull said the town had an environmental site assessment by GeoInsight Inc. completed at 120 Main St. in order to detect any contaminants in the soil or groundwater before bringing the purchase forward to Special Town Meeting. 

"They did groundwater samplings and checked the soil itself and did not identify any issues that would raise concerns about contamination," Hull said.

Resident Kevin MacDonald spoke against the purchase of 120 Main St., voicing concerns that rezoning the parcel could hurt the residential tax base. 

Hull said the 12 to 13 homes that could be developed on the property would make a marginal difference in annual revenue.

Resident Frank West spoke in support of the purchase, arguing that there would be no impact on traffic initially and low impact in the future.

"If we're talking about a senior center or future town hall you won't be dealing with the traffic concerns you would be if it were a drive-thru or another Dunkin' Donuts or something like that," West said. "In the meantime we get to enjoy the fact there's nothing there and nothing further impacting our traffic."

Several residents voiced concerns on spending funds from available cash with the new Wilmington High School and Yentile Farm Development projects currently underway.

Hull reiterated there is no planned use for the property, but that the town does have needs that the property could be used for down the road, including a town or school administration building, senior center or recreational facility. 

"With the various parcels we have, we plan to take a look at our various needs and see how we can utilize these properties." Hull said. "These properties don't come around that often. You don't plan for this, but what we have planned for is the financial ability to pay for this without raising taxes."

Resident Jim Murray spoke in support of purchasing the property at 120 Main St. while it was available.

"It's right on Main Street at a good price, and for future use you're not going to see condominiums or another Dunkin' Donuts there," Murray said. "It's banked for future use."

Voters approved unanimously by voice vote an amendment to the zoning bylaw, allowing personal services in the Highway/Industrial Zone, located in north Wilmington along Ballardvale Street and east Wilmington along Fordham Road.

The change addressed an unintended restriction placed on personal services such as barber or beauty shop, dry cleaner, catering and other uses. 

By a margin of one, voters denied a resident petition to rezone 276 Lowell St. from residential to general business.

Article 3 failed by a 120-64 vote, with a two-thirds majority required to pass. 

Resident Kevin Brennan was petitioning for the zoning change as the lone residential lot in that area of Lowell Street. 

Several residents from the Lowell Street area voiced concerns over traffic in the area considering the possibility of another business at 276 Lowell St. 

Hull said the town does not currently have any plans to address the traffic concerns in the Lowell Street area.

"There are no immediate plans to address traffic issues there," Hull said. "There is no question the volume of traffic trying to access Route 93 and coming from Route 93 creates bottlenecks but we don't have any specific plans at the moment."

After hearing several abutters voice concern over increased traffic, State Rep. Jim Miceli spoke against Article 3, and said the state does not currently have any plans to address traffic in that area.

"What I hear is that the abutters are opposed to it," Miceli said. "There will be no immediate relief from the state for traffic situation that exists there now."