Article 20 Cedes Home Rule, Increases Housing Costs and Monopolizes Energy

The most critical issue facing voters at this spring’s annual town meeting will be Article 20, an initiative sponsored by the Clean Energy and Sustainability Committee and the Select Board to limit the choice of home heating in all new residential construction in Westford to electric heat.  The sponsors aspire to see Westford become a leader in the state’s declared goal to reach “Net 0” carbon emissions by 2050. This aspiration is achievable, however, only at the expense of your property rights and pocket-book.

           The Article proposes to utilize the town’s building code to force home builders to install electric heat in all new housing construction.   Zoning laws regulate one of our most fundamental civil liberties, the right to utilize and dispose of our personal property as we see fit. For most of us, our homes represent the most significant personal property asset we own.  The purpose of zoning laws is to promote safety and facilitate reasonable resolution of conflicting land issues.  They are not to be used to further partisan political agendas, or global policy initiatives.  This is yet another egregious abuse of zoning authority by sponsors.

           The most pressing economic issue facing both Massachusetts and Westford is housing affordability.  Article 20 will make housing less affordable.   Those seeking to construct homes under this proposed bylaw, will be forced to pay substantial sums, in order to install alternative heating systems. The bylaw proposal requires the pre-wiring of any new home so that it can eventually accommodate full electric service, a good indicator of the ultimate intent of this law.  It also requires nonconformers to install solar panels.  The total costs of these impositions range from 13K for smaller homes to 24K to larger homes.  Given the margins facing home buyers today, this will put many completely out of the housing market.  The bylaw is weighted to favor large, corporate owned, multi-family apartment buildings. 

          If this bylaw is adopted the town of Westford will cede, yet again, home rule authority to the state on zoning issues. Under the bylaw’s provisions, the state can impose regulations directly on the town, bypassing the local planning board, board of appeals and town meeting.    To make matters worse, the ultimate beneficiary of this article is National Grid, who will be given a monopoly for heating over all new housing construction in the state. A job they admittedly are not prepared to handle.  Under this bylaw, even wood stoves would be outlawed in new construction.

         This article is an oppressively bad and radical idea, that will do little to alleviate the problem of global emissions.  It will, however, impose high costs and rigid restrictions on the use of one of our most precious property rights, and will limit housing opportunities.  This bylaw proposal should be rejected.  (Flier Attached)

                                                             

Library Update

LIBRARY CERTIFICATION HAS CONSEQUENCES FOR WESTFORD

 The State Bureaucracy Has Leverage Over Town Budget

          Westford’s JV Fletcher library is associated by most people, with the calm and solace that generally accompanies a vast store of books, a quiet place that allows for thought and reflection.  Yet, under the surface there is a significant and potentially turbulent political drama playing out that could have ominous consequences for your pocket-book.

          The town voted a few years ago, through a monumental abuse of open town meeting, to commit itself to 31M for the renovation of its library.  Library supporters mobbed the town meeting, voted in the increase and then left.  Town tax-payers were left with a $185.00 increase in their individual tax bills to support the town’s share of construction.   The state’s library commissioners pledge to match the investment with another 8M.

          However, IZON has learned that the deal is not entirely done.  The state’s commitment is conditioned upon the library maintaining its state certification.  Because of the construction, the library has currently fallen out of certification.  Waivers can be granted for mitigating circumstances and construction of a new library certainly fits the parameters

          Both the certification and the waiver ,however, are dependent upon the level of funding not just service, that the town appropriates to the library in the town budget.  If Westford does not fund the library to a level that satisfies state bureaucrats, they can pull their funding and Westford would be forced to fund another 8M on its own for the renovation.  

          Town officials have offered re-assurances that town funding levels are adequate.  Library director Ellen Rainville will be forced to apply for waivers each year, throughout the life of the project.  The waivers ensure state payments for its share of the renovations. However, given the uncertainty around the state budget, which is rapidly moving toward unsustainability, any excuse for the state to not fund something is a prospect that looms very large.

Westford could find itself at the short end of the stick is drastic cuts are required on Beacon Hill.