good news on Lantana land grab

News from the Friends of the Blue Hills

Yesterday state Environmental Secretary Ian Bowles issued a decision requiring the Lantana function hall to submit a full environmental impact report pursuant to its plan to buy and pave over 3.2 acres of Reservation parkland on High St. in Randolph for a 408-space parking lot.

The decision obligates Lantana to show it has made every effort to avoid, minimize, and mitigate damage to the environment--a tall order.

The decision states:

The increasing pressure to convert Article 97 lands to other uses poses a significant threat to the conservation legacy that the Commonwealth has been building over the past several decades...I believe it is essential to review rigorously every proposed conversion of public parkland to other uses, lest decades of effort to enhance the Commonwealth's endowment of public open spaces be eroded...Before such an impact on public open space can be considered, it is imperative that the proponent demonstrate that no other alternative with less environmental impact is feasible, and that any impacts found unavoidable receive maximum feasible mitigation.

We have posted the decision (745K PDF file) here:

http://www.friendsofthebluehills.org/PDFs/MEPAcert120307.pdf

Lantana appears to have three choices at this point:

1) prepare and file the required impact report (expensive and time-consuming)
2) sue the Environmental Secretary (ditto)
3) look for ways to resolve its parking issues without destroying public parkland

We hope that (3) will win out.

If you sent comments to the Secretary, your name is listed among about 250 individuals and organizations at the end of the decision. We are grateful to everyone who answered our pleas.