-Submitted by Denise Barnett
I have been a long time resident of Bedford and my husband has lived on Carlisle Road since he was two years old. We have watched the town turn from a small country town to a city. There are so few trees left on the roads and most of the land has been built upon.
The Town of Bedford’s new project to destroy more trees is the Carlisle Road Development Project. They are pushing through a 600 person housing development, including townhouses, multiple story buildings, and two story condos against the road. Brian DeVellis of DeVellis Consulting Group claims to be someone that cares. I believe he will not be leaving Bedford in a better place but leaving yet another scar on the town. Once this project is done there is no turning back, the land and trees will be gone, traffic will be worse than it is, and the schools will have more to deal with (Bedford schools were rated as a 10 a few years ago, we are now rated as a 5 on Zillow). The Bedford Select Board say that all the town wants this. Is this true?
I feel we are not being told the whole truth from DeVellis and the town select board. DeVellis should own up to the fact that they are out to make as much money as possible and the select board, who are pushing for this, do not care about Bedford the town but want Bedford to be a city (heavy density of people in a small place). One of my friends visited me and he waited outside with me while my children got on the bus and the bus went two feet and was stopped in the traffic. He said “you are like trapped rats”. Why such a big project when nothing has been done to improve the flow of traffic?
It is so sad. We never learn, it is never enough, we just keep building until there is no nature left. DeVellis said this build will be for the elderly also, well here is one elderly person that is going to have to leave her home. No one I know wants to have their house right against Carlisle Road with the trucks going down it at 45-50 miles per hour and have their house shake or live in a multiple story building with a shared entrance with COVID still here.
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Most of these units are rentals. This a great choice for a senior wanting to downsize and stay in town. At 75 years old I would not be looking for a 30 yr mortgage. My adult sons would love to live in the town they grew up in. This would work for them.
I’m frustrated that the town and/or consulting group scheduled and notified residents about feedback forums in a way that seems to minimize participation. Carlisle Rd residents received a postcard about sessions the evening before the first session and the 2nd is scheduled for 2/14.
This is too large a development to be built on a road with just one lane in each direction. Wilson Park is a dangerous bottleneck today and no plans have been made for improvement. This development should not be built until traffic issues have been resolved and a sidewalk or bike path is planned.
In no way, shape or form can Bedford be considered a city. The hyperbole in this letter is amazing.
Of course the Select Board wants what the majority of the town wants. Otherwise, we wouldn’t have voted them in. We need affordable housing in Bedford. This is a reasonable way to do that