Above: Youth soccer would like to add a turf field to Fay School’s athletic field complex. Neighbors argue that users have been violating the original agreement. (Image from Google Maps)
Last week, the Planning Board held continued hearings on permits for Fitzgerald’s proposed pay parking lot and a new turf field on Fay School’s athletic field. To the board’s frustration, it was forced to continue both again to Monday, August 17.
Chair Don Morris expressed concern about a perception that the Planning Board takes too long to get things done.
In the case of Fitzgerald’s, the applicant’s representative asked for more time to prepare. Town Planner Jennifer Burney told the board that abutters were made aware of the request for a continuance.
Burney encouraged people interested in a particular agenda topic to contact the department in advance to find out if it would be heard or delayed.
[Note: When Fitzgerald’s is addressed, a letter from former MBTA Study Committee chair is likely to be discussed. It includes interesting background and a suggestion that a condition make the fee for parking equal to the MBTA fee, not lower.]
The board did hear the Southborough Youth Soccer/Fay request for a turf addition to their athletic field (off of Mills Road just over the Marlborough border). In this case, the Planning Board was compelled to put off their vote to research a disagreement between neighbors and abutters.
Abutters argued that the school is already in violation of its earlier agreement. Neighbors urged that the permit limits users to school’s students and opponents, with play mainly on weekday afternoons. They also argued that a Fay School representative was required to be onsite for all games.
The applicant disagreed that the permit was limiting to those conditions.
The field is currently used by Fay, SYS, and renters including an adult male league. Neighbors complained of users on the field as early as 7:00 am on weekend mornings. And they claimed that users line up cars at night, using headlights to continue play past sundown.
Morris decided that the board should review the original decision before voting or determining future conditions.
You can read the neighbors’ submitted complaint (including players peeing on their property) and applicant’s response here. You can also read more about the discussion in Southborough Wicked Local’s coverage.
