The Boston Globe: Peabody rock quarry closure plans are in midsts of expanding
This is not such a giant controversy.
The quarry was in place long before the houses all sprouted up, so the neighbors complaining about the quarry are simply guilty of choosing to live in the wrong place.
That being said, Aggregate Industries is proving itself to be not only a bad neighbor, but a criminal one as well. The company needs to be very closely watched as it has proven itself to be NOT TRUSTWORTHY.
However, the fact that the two politicians mentioned in the article, Ted Speliotis and Barry Sinewitz, are confused by such a "complicated idea" that this company has the legal right to expand, and plans to do so, while at the same time creating a shut down plan for 30 years in the future says more about the mental abilities of these gentlemen and less about this confusing issue.
It is not confusing.
This company can (and obviously plans to) continue its operations in this location until they have exhausted their permitted rights. They also are required to create a long-term plan to ultimately close the plant.
Gentlemen... how hard is that to understand?
Bottom line...
- Neighbors will complain about ANYTHING and the reality is you shouldn't build/buy your house next to a rock quarry if you don't like noise, ground shaking blasts and truck traffic.
- Aggregate Industries has proven itself to be untrustworthy and in violation of the law. They need to be closely monitored and controlled.
Now I know from talking with a few people that living near AI is a pain and it makes life unpleasant at times (and dangerous at others)... even if people made bad choices in the past (choosing to live near a quarry) - but they are there now and the City should be trying to mediate a fair and reasonable accommodation for all involved. AI has rights, but so do the residents. In fact, the City itself should bear some of the responsibility for allowing these homes to be built in the first place.
In my opinion the best course of action here is:
1) Continue the closure plan discussions with a keen focus on how the land will/can be used in the future.
2) Continue the discussion on the expansion plans - AND MAKE SURE THE CITY HAS SMART PEOPLE IN THIS DEBATE when it comes to the issuance of special permits required for AI to achieve its goals.
The only place the City has any say in AI's business (if they are operating within the law) is when they come to ask for a special permit. This is the time the City needs to act intelligently and get some logical concessions in order to benefit FIRST, the City as a whole and SECOND, the concerns of the neighbors.
4 comments:
Ted and Barry I am sure are not confused.
The city has been asking for this closure plan for years. The only thing they have gotten is talk and delays. Now is the time to hold them to the fire. No permit until the closure plan is complete.
I thought the closure plan was already a requirement for some other permitting that AI had received.
This is absolutely the appropriate thing to do... but I am not so sure of the people who are actually working on such a plan.
This process should be much more of an open forum - with input from City Officials and Professionals, from Aggregate Officials AND from the citizens as well.
We should be told what some of the alternatives are, what they will (might) mean for Peabody in the future and what they will cost us.
And by US, I mean the people of Peabody because AI is NOT going to do much beyond what is required by law in this case... especially since at that point (closing the site and leaving the City) they have no more reasons to work and play nice.
So if the City wants to make this into a recreational area, with or without a water body, we need to really understand the costs the City will bear.
And don't forget those residents... They are already complaining (and some with reason, others not so much) about living next door to a quarry... how many will then want to live next door to Lake Peabody Recreation and Picnic Area?
All these important things to PLAN for and us without a Planner....
how dare them people that live next to the quarry complain about boulders flying into there house & in there yards.
I agree anon.
It does sound like I am being silly here... but what if someone built a house next to Rt. 128... and then complained about car and truck noise? Would you say to them... "Oh my heavens, you're right. Let's close that loud highway and then you can get some peace and quiet!" Or would you say... "Why did you buy or build a house next to a highway???"
I see the second as the more appropriate answer.
So I ask, "Why did you build/buy a house next to an active rock quarry?"
The question is now that they have built those homes what should be the correct response - by the neighbors, by AI and by the City.
What do you think it should be?
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