Plymouth Planning Board Chairman calls excessive land clearing deliberate

Sometimes you cant see the forest for the trees. And sometimes you cant see the forest because someone has cut down the trees, revealing the giant sandpit beyond.

Residents objected to the eyesore left behind when work crews cleared land along Route 80 in preparation for a road-widening effort and a 300,000-square-foot retail development slated for the 53-acre property behind Job Lot. It wasnt clear at first how much of that land clearing had been cleared with the town.

Thats because there are two projects going on there, side by side.

The state is in the process of clearing part of this area to widen the roadway. The developer, High Rock Cranberry Crescent, LLC, is in the process of clearing abutting land in preparation for its development. But the Planning Board says one or the other or both leveled land that should not have been leveled and cut down too many trees.

In a letter to David Sweetser, of High Rock Cranberry Crescent, dated June 25, Planning Board Vice Chairman Tim Grandy wrote: The board is extremely frustrated and disappointed with the apparent misrepresentations made by the development team, as they relate to these recent events and the current condition of the site and the aforementioned concessions made.

The Planning Board, the West Plymouth Steering Committee and town staff spent significant time stressing the importance of earthen berms, buffers and landscaping, Grandy explained. Local attorney Bob Betters, who represents High Rock Cranberry Crescent, has said that his client has every intention of installing a buffer and landscaping, but these efforts will happen after the land clearing.

But, speaking for himself and not his board, Planning Board Chairman Paul McAlduff said he suspects the developer may have deliberately removed the hill and trees so the development would be more visible from the street. Visibility is always important for these types of projects, he added.

Two months ago, we spent a half day most of the Planning Board, (Director of Planning and Development) Lee Hartmann, (Senior Planner) Valerie Massard we walked the property and talked about what we wanted improved, McAlduff said. We all went away with this agreement to leave the vegetation. I think it was an accident meant to happen.

He said hell request that the developer replace the hill, plant new trees and seed the area.

Wed like to see it brought back as close as possible to what it was before, Grandy said. The Planning Board was unanimous that the letter should go out. This is not what the board had expected. I dont have the site plan in front of me, but it definitely didnt call for stripping all the natural vegetation and all the trees along that corridor.

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Plymouth Planning Board Chairman calls excessive land clearing deliberate