Citing concerns about sunlight bouncing off the new buildings and burning the grass, Woodland Golf Club is seeking financial contributions and other measures from the Riverside project, the Boston Globe reports.
Woodland raises objections to Riverside project
by Village 14 | Oct 2, 2020 | Riverside | 10 comments
The Woodland golf course is probably the most egregious misuse of land in Newton. If anyone wants to start a movement to eminent domain it at its absurdly low tax assessment value, zone everything within a quarter mile of either T stop or NWH for development, sell that off to the highest bidder to benefit the city budget (whether that’s to fund the pension gap, capital for infrastructure, or just reinvest it to secure permanently affordable housing), and preserve the remaining 70% of the site in perpetuity as an outdoor space for the public benefit, you have my proverbial sword.
So no, I’m not particularly sympathetic to their nuisance suit to collect a pound of flesh from the Riverside development that has already been negotiated several times.
Jonathan: AMEN.
Time to enact Abbie Richards thoughtful policy proscriptions.
These same concerns apply to Northland and Upper Falls as well… although we don’t have the same deep pockets as Woodlawn. Perhaps Lisa Mead would be willing to represent Northland’s Upper Falls abutters pro-bono? 🙂
Matt: You’re worried about the sun reflecting off of buildings burning your lawn? Seriously?
As Jack Leader pointed out today, the idea of shadows on the golf course causing any serious problems is laughable, since the golf course sits SOUTH of the proposed development.
I find it ironic that on the very same blog on the very same day, we have a post lamenting the inability of the City to manage its public space and recreation facilities (re: girls soccer) and other posters advocating for the takeover of one of the best maintained recreation facilities in the city…for development!
Maybe golf is not your thing. But the ~1,500 members of the three private country clubs in Newton have certainly done a better job acquiring and maintaining open space than the City government has.
Perhaps Newton Girls Soccer should buy the Woodland parcel and make it a private soccer facility…
The privileged people at Woodland Golf club have raised objections about a mixed use project across the street. I will remind them that the sun rises in the East, moves in a southern arc,and sets in the west. The golf course sits south of the project. There may be some shadows, very late in the afternoon, early evening, cast on the the few holes that are on Grove Street. And the shadows will be the longest in the late fall when the sun is lower in the sky, when less and less people play. And windows that may cause their grass to burn or dry out. Did they get a tribute from the 11 Condominiums that jut into their course when they were built? Shall they also raise objections to the green line that cuts thru the course. Should the MBTA halt all traffic during the backswing? I suggest that the City of Newton investigate, in cooperation with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to rescind the law that allows country clubs to only pay 25% of their municipal taxes.
@Greg, we both know it’s not about sun, shade or grass (although mine’s looking pretty spectacular despite our August drought, thanks for asking).
No, this is about money and influence. Northland was the primary (if not sole) contributor of your “Yes” campaign, while Right Size had to cobble together nickels and dimes; and we all see the result of that.
Big development has figured out how to weaponize the call for affordable housing as a way to fill their coffers. And it’s great to see them sweat it out, formidable adversary with equally deep pockets of money and influence twists the knife a bit.
(By the way, I’m a fan of what you’re doing for the restaurants. We need to support them!)
Perhaps Donald Ross is onto something. Since golf courses have expertise and infrastructure to maintaining open space, perhaps they could help maintain public playing fields and other open spaces in city.