Residents picket for “sensible development”
Jun 16, 2023 08:50AM ● By By Theresa Knapp
Demonstrators gather in front of Holliston Town Hall on June 15 to protest the large distribution center proposed at 555 Hopping Brook Park. Photo credit: Theresa Knapp
06/15/2023 - The Holliston Planning Board will hold another, and possibly final, hearing
on June 22 at 7 p.m. regarding a proposal for a big distribution center at 555 Hopping
Brook Park, a project some residents say is not a good fit for the character of Holliston.
“We’re out here because we need visibility,” said Eileen Muller at today’s demonstration
in front of Holliston Town Hall, as traffic backed up during the 5 p.m. rush hour and
some drivers honked in support. “The traffic is going to be untenable, this is a ‘two-lane
highway’,” referring to the Washington Street/Route 126 backup.
Those opposed to the project will gather again in front of town hall on June 22 from 4
p.m. to 6 p.m.
“We’re not anti-development,” said Anne Lindsay. “We support businesses that are
sensible, that benefit the town, and that fit…this business does not fit.”
Many residents have expressed opposition to this latest proposal, plus the one
previously proposed (and ultimately denied), through Planning Board public hearings
and written letters to town officials. They have also created a
www.change.org/WarehouseFreeHolliston petition seeking signatures “to let the
planning board know that we do not want a 550,000-square-foot Distribution Warehouse
in our town.”
“It seems like these big developers are going up and down 495 looking for towns that
have not yet changed their bylaws so they can sneak in one more big distribution
center,” said Muller. “This is another ‘David versus Goliath’ where big industry is coming
in and taking advantage of the little guy.”
Demonstrators said they often get questions from residents who thought the matter was
resolved in 2021 when the town rejected a proposal for a 800,000 square-foot
warehouse. But, in November 2022, the applicant submitted a different smaller-scale
project that opponents say is still too large for the site.
● The 2021 application listed the applicant’s name as “CRG Integrated Real Estate
Solutions” in Conshocken, PA; and the owner as New Hopping Brook Trust, 42
Westboro Road, N. Grafton, MA.
● The 2022 application lists the applicant’s name as “CRG Acquisition LLC” in St.
Louis, MO; and the owner as New Hopping Brook Realty Trust, P.O. Box 952,
Carver, MA.
Those opposed to a large warehouse at 555 Hopping Brook have concerns about noise,
light, wetland disruption, general increase in traffic and specific tractor trailer traffic on
narrow roads such as nearby South Street. Residents of both Holliston and abutting
Medway have concerns about the proposed tenant which has not yet been identified by
the applicant, and doubts any projected revenue from such a tenant would be enough to
offset the disruption it will cause to the community.
Demonstrators also question the trustworthiness of the applicant who conducted
unauthorized tree cutting and removal on the site for which the town needed to secure a
cease and desist order in Sept. 2020.
“What are they going to give us except a pain in the neck,” said Joe Mastrangelo, who
has experience working in the trucking industry and has doubts about (a) trucks
adhering to “no commercial vehicles” signs on town streets, and (b) enforcement of that
rule. He says the applicant’s traffic study is “woefully inadequate” and he questions the
ability of large trucks to navigate Holliston’s narrow roads.
David Bastille, who designed the signs the demonstrators were holding, lives on South
Street where he conducted traffic counts between 3:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. over a three-
day period in order to provide data to town officials regarding traffic at the shift change.
“I found that, averaging out over three days, 47% of the drivers out of Hopping Brook
turned down South Street,” said Bastille, noting the addition of a large distribution center
would increase that number to an amount that was “not bearable.”
He said, “South Street is a narrow street, about 9 feet wide…it’s really a road left over
from the 19th century,” adding it is used by walkers and runners, cyclists, families with
strollers, and people accessing the local rail trail. He said the visibility on the scenic
road is already limited, and adding big trucks on that road will (and do) make matters
worse. “It’s at an oblique angle, there’s always a surprise in the wings.”
For more information, including all Planning Board materials related to the project, visit
bit.ly/HollistonPlanningBoard555. You can also find information on Facebook at “West
of Hopping Brook.”
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