Mobbs Hill parking lot, again.

[ I wrote this post after our 11/18/10 meeting but neglected to post it. ]

Just finished a boisterous meeting at town hall.

The heated topic, noted on the agenda as the Mobbs Parking Lot Discussion, did begin until a couple of hours after the meetings start.  The issue has to do with the location of the "new" parking lot off Browns Trace Road, near the town garage.

3 years ago, when our Development Review Board decided the details for the lot, there was a note on their decision that indicated that all parties--the town, the neighbors, and the Mobbs Committee--should seek a mediated process and try to find a solution that would be agreeable to everyone.

Two years ago the staff at the time did just that: the meeting was a productive one and the solution that everyone finally came to accept was very different from the DRB decision. The neighbors involved believed that the new plan was going forward. Meanwhile, the town administrator was replaced. The selectboard forgot to follow up. Nothing happened.

So here we are again, and we're left with the decision: do we go forward with the DRB-approved plan or pursue approval and funding for the idea which came from the ad-hoc committee? Strong opinions and emotions supply a wide range of judgement on this issue. At my request, the board will convene a short meeting at the site near the town garage in order to identify the various landmarks that have been so much a part of these discussions.