8/2/2021 From the Board of Directors:
The Hickory Woods Board of Directors is committed to closely watching the development of the Rt 102 project. For those new to this issue, this refers to the parcel of land on the left of the HW entrance on Rt 102. This land comes with an easement entrance from Tavern Hill. The easement starts at the 102 entrance and ends approximately at the beginning of the median. Last year’s Board confirmed with our Attorney that this easement is legal and that Hickory Woods is responsible for the care, maintenance and repair of this road regardless of plans for this parcel.
The HW Board of Directors is closely following the progression of this project and is committed to keeping the community up to date on all developments. At the Board’s request, Jeff Lessard of New Star has been in touch with the owner to express our interest and concern regarding plans for this parcel. After some starts and stops, we have received a draft of the preliminary plan. The Board is in contact with the Town Planning Department and as abutters, we will be notified if and when plans are submitted for Town approval. There is reason to speculate that the final plan may look different from the preliminary plan as there are both State and Town approvals and permits involved. The Board has received comments from residents about whether we will be able to negotiate with the parcel owner to share costs of road repair, etc. When the time comes, the Board will certainly advocate for any provision that would benefit Hickory Woods.
There are many questions to be answered but at this point it is unlikely that we can get definitive answers. Again, we are closely watching this development and will keep our community up to date on any and all new information. Residents will be given the opportunity to ask questions and comment through this process.