As the Planning Board continues to review the site plan application from Portman Industrial for the proposed redevelopment of the Intel Site at 75 Reed Road, I would like to take this opportunity to remind the public of the process that is being followed and to try to dispel some inaccurate information that appears to be circulating through the community.

The Reed Road site, and the adjacent areas, are zoned industrial / manufacturing and, therefore, the proposed project to develop a logistics warehouse operation is an allowed use by-right under the Town’s Zoning Bylaws and is subject to site plan review approval from the Planning Board.Site plan approval must be obtained before a building permit can be issued. The project is also being evaluated at the state level through the review process conducted by the Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act (MEPA) Office.

Site plan review is a technical / administrative endeavor which involves the Town’s professional staff along with its third-party engineers to study all aspects of the proposed site redevelopment which include environmental, stormwater management / drainage, noise, traffic, and other aspects. These technical meetings also include the Town’s Special Counsel as well as consultants from the developer’s team. This review, and the data which it generates, is intended to support the Planning Board’s effort to evaluate the proposed redevelopment. It is anticipated that the technical review will likely conclude in approximately 90 days.

The public also has an opportunity via the public hearing process to ask questions and voice their concerns to the Planning Board. The public hearing process has commenced with the first public hearing held on August 30, 2022, and the second held on September 27, 2022. The next scheduled public hearing will take place on October 12, 2022 and I anticipate that additional public hearings will take place.

I am fully aware of the concerns expressed by the residents of the adjacent Westridge and Quail Run neighborhoods with regard to this proposed project. Town staff will continue to work diligently to log their questions and concerns as well as provide responses. I want to assure the public that no agreements of any kind have been reached between the developer and the Town. The technical review and public hearing process will continue until such time as the Planning Board is fully prepared to render a decision. Any deliberation and decision of the Planning Board must take place in an Open Meeting, pursuant to G.L. c. 30A, ss. 18-25.