Long View Farm Expansion.....

[The Raven]

This letter to the editor of this weeks Walpole Times had me wondering if we need to change the town motto from "The Friendly Town" to something else.

Longview Farm, operated by the Home for Little Wanderers has been a positive force in helping children for decades. I think hosting Longview Farm and all of its associated problems is a good thing for the Town of Walpole.

[Unregistered]

The town has hosted a relatively small facility on Lincoln Rd that fit in its surroundings. A small school on a narrow country road.
Now Longview want to become a full blown school with a much larger resident population. It most certainly will no longer fit on the small country Rd.
The fact that a small school worked does not mean that a much larger school will work. In fact it there are very serious questions about infrastructure in the area.
The police department may also have some very serious question about the size of this facility. It is not a private school but a school for troubled kids. How big a school like that should the town host?

Not the smallest factor is the fact that this facility is tax exempt. Doesn't even contribute to our tax base but may start to drain town resources.

[Unregistered]

I agree with Raven. I cannot believe the local paper devoted so much space to a letter from a group of people who are complaining about a school expansion. Give me a break. Imagine if this group lived next to door a Level 3 biolab? The expansion of a school is not potentially lethal. The release of Level 3 agents can be. The same goes for the group opposing a police station.

I bet the neighbors living next to Siemens would gladly take a school or police station any day in exchange for a Level 3lab.

Give me a break.

[Unregistered]

I was able to view this plan and it's a wonderful plan whoever the engineers were that put it together. This will be a pleasant asset to the Town once this site is updated.

[Unregistered]

I've actually been watching this situation with interest for a few months now, and while the letter published in the Walpole times last week left me with a similar impression, there's a lot more to the story than the letter conveys. I attended one of the meetings that the school had with the community to discuss the planned expansion and I was shocked at first by the size and layout of their plans, and then by their refusal to act on the feedback they received from the community.

Let me state right off the bat that the neighbors that live in the adjoining properties are more supportive of the school and it's cause than most people in town are. What they're not so friendly with are the architects and planners from the organization who--in my estimation--are acting rather unneighborly in how they've proceeded with their plans. When the school's last expansion was approved the town gave them some very specific building height restrictions that they have completely ignored in the expansion plans they're trying to move forward with today. Despite the promises made in the initial meeting, the plan was developed without any community input. Then, after the plan was presented at the second meeting, the community's concerns were completely ignored. If Longview Farms wants to be a part of the community they're really going to need to fix this.

The problem isn't just limited to the organization's disregard for it's neighbors, there are some more practical concerns that could be a lot more costly to the town than folks might realize. The area is zoned for low density residential housing. The school plans to double their population, housing around 40 kids and support 80 kids during the day. The town infrastructure along that section of Lincoln road is poorly equipped to handle that large of an increase in population. Traffic problems on the very narrow roads and blind intersections are a major concern. Water/Sewer infrastructure will need to be improved. I'd also suspect that the strain on our police/fire services will grow exponentially with the increased density. Is Walpole willing to make these costs a priority at this point in time?

Rejecting their planned expansion does not mean kicking them out of Walpole, or damaging their ability to do good. Similarly, supporting the school's cause does not mean approving every aspect of their proposal. The community, and the town are willing to work with Longview Farm to achieve a solution that benefits everyone. Until the organization agrees to do the same I would not approve waiving their zoning requirements.

[Unregistered]

I agree with Raven. I cannot believe the local paper devoted so much space to a letter from a group of people who are complaining about a school expansion. Give me a break. Imagine if this group lived next to door a Level 3 biolab? The expansion of a school is not potentially lethal. The release of Level 3 agents can be. The same goes for the group opposing a police station.

I bet the neighbors living next to Siemens would gladly take a school or police station any day in exchange for a Level 3lab.

Give me a break.

While I agree that a level 3 biolab is a far worse neighbor than a school, there's already been quite a few letters posted on that subject. I'd rather hear some new information about an issue that I'm not currently aware of than another letter rehashing the same thoughts on a topic I've already made up my mind on. This school's expansion seems like it's going to be bad for the town. Is it the most important issue of the day? No, but it is a valid concern for the community involved as well as the town. The discussions concerning the biolab and police station are completely irrelevant to whether this school's expansion will benefit the town.

[Unregistered]

While I agree that a level 3 biolab is a far worse neighbor than a school, there's already been quite a few letters posted on that subject. I'd rather hear some new information about an issue that I'm not currently aware of than another letter rehashing the same thoughts on a topic I've already made up my mind on. This school's expansion seems like it's going to be bad for the town. Is it the most important issue of the day? No, but it is a valid concern for the community involved as well as the town. The discussions concerning the biolab and police station are completely irrelevant to whether this school's expansion will benefit the town.

I hadn't seen any letters about biotech until this week. I have read plenty of letters about the police station which are a rehash of I don't want it in my backyard.

There hasn't been enough open discussion on the biotech matter given the seriousness of the situation. I am not as interested in hearing about a school expansion with heaven forbid 20 to 40 more students. Oh the burden of it all.

[Unregistered]

I was able to view this plan and it's a wonderful plan whoever the engineers were that put it together. This will be a pleasant asset to the Town once this site is updated.

I'd like to hear some more specifics about what you like about the plan and how will it be an asset.

Thanks!

[Unregistered]

I'd like to hear some more specifics about what you like about the plan and how will it be an asset.

Thanks!

Yeah, I'm also a bit curious how something that pays no taxes to the town, yet will be using town services, will be an asset. The police and fire departments already go to that location fairly often, and those responses are only going to increase along with the size of the facility. I think I need to re-check the definition of asset. And have you ever been there? There isn't anything pleasant about it.

[Unregistered]

Yeah, I'm also a bit curious how something that pays no taxes to the town, yet will be using town services, will be an asset. The police and fire departments already go to that location fairly often, and those responses are only going to increase along with the size of the facility. I think I need to re-check the definition of asset. And have you ever been there? There isn't anything pleasant about it.

Using that logic, you would be talking about the town's schools too. They pay no taxes and use town services. Sometimes the police and fire repsond to the town's schools too.