“Wrong Way” Belmont Community Path
Town Meeting Members are being asked to vote TODAY, June 7 on appropriating “$200,000 from the Undesignated Fund Balance the Community Preservation Fund [your CPA taxes] for the Community Path Right of Way Acquisition.” (Article 12)
There is an Amendment to Article 12 offered by Frank French, which will delete the request for $200,000 for the Community Path Right of Way Acquisition. Please urge the Town Meeting Members in your precinct to vote YES on this amendment so that this substantial project can be properly vetted and the right decisions are made and our tax dollars are spent wisely. Town Meeting is tonight, June 7, so your urgent response is requested.
Contact information for town meeting members in your precinct can be found on the town website at tmm_effective_23.pdf (belmont-ma.gov).
Article 12 requests that the $200,000 to be spent on an analysis of future cost to Belmont for obtaining right-of-way for a community path on the north side of MBTA rail tracks. This right-of-way would result in taking of property from multiple homeowners, essentially cutting many square feet from their yards, and clear-cutting a wide path of mature trees.
There is good reason to stop this current approach immediately. There is only ONE alternative being looked at right now – the Belmont Community Path (BCP) located on the north side of the MBTA rail tracks. There are alternative routes available for a community path that were identified by Pare Engineering, approved by the BOS and Community Path Committee in 2018. These routes provide safe, much more cost-effective possibilities that do not require access to any residential properties and will have minimal impact on abutters and businesses adjacent to the rail line.
Things that will hugely affect residents and taxpayers with the current North side option.
The biggest concern is the estimated cost of this project if it moves forward. Current projections of North side costs are well over $24 million - this number does not include required retaining walls. This amount has continually grown. The South side estimate is $10 million.
State and federal government have not committed funds to Belmont for the BCP.
The MPO (Metropolitan Planning Organization) Board voted last week for their projects for 2022-26. The BCP was not included. So the BCP will not see any funding until 2027 at the earliest. The cost will undoubtedly be much higher at that time.
The MPO is changing its monetary policies starting in 2027 where a town like Belmont would only receive 80% and may be responsible for the remainder of the final bill and budget overruns.
The MPO is upset about budget woes of the BCP brought about by project estimate increases and cost overruns.
An FHWA (Federal Highway Administration) official questioned how some bike paths cost $2.6M to $6M per mile while the BCP costs $12Million per mile.
The MBTA has stated that this option has many safety concerns that need to be looked into.
There are equally disturbing concerns for residents and businesses affected with the BCP on the North Side of the path.
Approximately 50 homes and several businesses will be subjected to the taking of part or most of their land – temporarily and permanent. Eminent domain practices will be employed for those resisting giving up their property.
Almost all of the residential abutters and all of the businesses are opposed to this as stated in a signed petition to the Select Board. They are supportive of the community path but will not allow access to their properties and will refuse all easement requests since other options are not being considered.
There could be a long, drawn out, expensive legal battle with these property owners.
The South side route does not face this volume of residential and business destruction and cost. Only one business requires an easement. If eminent domain needs to be used here that is just one location vs. dozens requiring this option with a North side route.
Much of the land on the South side is currently owned by the town.
A North side path requires clear-cutting of 1.5 miles of trees.
Property values of residents in this stretch will have a severe negative impact.
The multiple ecosystems in the stretch will be wiped out completely.
Linked below you will see aerial photos of the North and South side of the rail tracks. It will be immediately obvious what the least disruptive, and better, option is for the BCP. (Belmont Community Path)
This concerns all of us – not just the abutters. If the current North side proposal goes forward, we will be saddled with enormous project debt that Belmont cannot afford. The other alternatives need to be considered and vetted prior to appropriating a single penny. What's more, there are also path routes other than the North and South side discussed here. These routes MUST be considered, BEFORE spending $200,000 in a plan to take the property of our Belmont neighbors.
In our current fiscal crisis, it is unwise to spend $200K on the wrong path choice. Since the earliest we could possibly see government funds on this is 2027, we do not need to spend this money now. We need to stop this effort that will be devastating to the directly affected residents and ultimately the taxpayers.
A route on the North side is really a commuter path benefitting very few residents, not a community path for all Belmont residents. If we are going to move forward we need to make sure that the BCP choice is the right one for Belmont.
We encourage you to read this linked letter from Cindy Taylor, Town Meeting Member, Precinct 8, concerning funding for the Community Path, an abutter that raises issues with the process that are worthy of consideration when looking at the Community Path $200,000 expenditure.
Note: Belmont needs a tunnel from the Winn Brook side of the tracks to Concord Ave. sooner than later, especially with the opening of the new High School. This project is linked with the BCP – why? These two projects need to be separated and each pursued differently.
Aerial Image of Channing Road - North Side
Channing Road highlighting land-taking
Channing Road Impact - Clear-cutting and land-taking by eminent domain
