THE COLUMN normally writes about the people of the Greater Lowell area who are attending meetings, hosting fundraisers or volunteering to make their city a better place to live.
Today’s contribution profiles residents with the names of Jelly Bean, Brando, Puddles, Pickles, Fizz and Pop. They are some of the animals who are temporary residents of the Lowell Humane Society, and they need homes.
“We are FULL,” Executive Director Crystal Arnott wrote by email on Friday. “We have 177 pets between the shelter and foster homes.”
The organization was founded in 1873, in response to the poor treatment of horses in Lowell, but now cares for pets as small as a 2-pound guinea pig named Pumba to a 44-pound mixed-breed dog who answers to Bowie.
The Sun last profiled the organization in February, in a preview of the “Celebrating 150 years of kindness to animals” fundraiser that will be held Sept. 14 at UTEC on Warren Street. Arnott said pets available for adoption will also be attending the celebration.
But that’s still more than two months away, and Arnott needs to adopt out lost, found or surrendered pets right now. An example of the kind of work the society does, and its commitment to the animals in its care, as well as the humans who adopt an animal from the Lowell Humane Society, can be found in the story about a mixed breed, brindle-colored dog named Tiana.
She was featured in February’s story, and very nearly stole the show from Arnott.
“Tiana is everybody’s favorite,” Arnott said then.
The gentle Tiana came to the Lowell Humane Society as a stray in April 2022, with no history, but loaded with charm.
“She brought a big smile and a wagging tail,” Arnott remembered. “We all fell in love immediately.”
The staff named her Tiana, due to her distinctive frog-legged sploot, and in honor of the Disney princess who kissed a frog. Her nickname became “Titi.”
That endearing personality masked chronic kidney disease, and the staff realized that 9-year-old Tiana needed a hospice home placement due to her 6-month prognosis. She became the office greeter, leaning her 55-pound frame against visitors.
By late February of this year, the resilient and sploot-loving dog was matched with a young woman named Kristen, who moved to a pet-friendly apartment in order to bring her home.
“Tiana was adopted,” Arnott said. “We got updates all the time about her many walks, and Titi’s favorite — riding shotgun for car rides,” Arnott said. “But her health started to decline.”
In late March, the besotted staff said their goodbyes to “Sweet T.”
“We stood by Kristen … each of our staff said goodbye, kiss(ed) her velvety head, before Tiana crossed her rainbow bridge,” Arnott wrote. “I’m sad. But more than anything, my heart is full of love. As we drove to the vet to say goodbye to Tiana, I thought to myself, was closing the shelter a little early the right move to let staff say goodbye? And I unwrapped a Dove chocolate to grief/stress eat, and I got my answer. On the inside of the wrapper was printed, ‘Always time for love.'”
That’s the message Arnott offers prospective adopters of any one of the many animals they have available right now at the shelter.
“We’ll be holding an adoption event on July 22, to try and adopt some animals out,” she said.
The Lowell Humane Society Small Animal Beach Party takes place Saturday, July 22, from noon until 3 p.m., at 951 Broadway St. Small animals include guinea pigs, rabbits, rats, mice, hamsters, birds and ferrets. There will be an on-site photoshoot set up for $5 per animal and the society is offering 50% off its small animal adoption fees.
For information about the society’s general adoption or fostering programs, call 978-452-7781 or email info@lowellhumanesociety.org.
‘MBTA Communities’ prepare for housing requirements
THE LEGISLATURE passed a law more than two years ago that requires municipalities served by the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority to create zoning districts in which multifamily housing is permitted by right.
As it is written, the law requires that these districts have a minimum gross density of 15 units per acre, and must be located no more than half a mile from a commuter rail station, subway station, bus station or ferry terminal. This affects more than 170 communities in Massachusetts, all of which are in the eastern half of the state, including every city and town in Middlesex County besides Dunstable, Pepperell and Hudson.
An “MBTA Community,” as the new law calls it, is defined as a municipality that has any of the aforementioned MBTA infrastructure located within its borders, or a municipality that abuts another community that does.
Though Massachusetts General Law Chapter 40A Section 3A was passed in January 2021, communities have not had much chance to get started on implementing these districts, though those conversations are beginning to happen.
In Tewksbury, an “MBTA adjacent community,” Community and Economic Development Planner Alexandra Lowder opened up a survey June 27 to residents to solicit their input on where the best location for such a zoning district may be in town. In Tewksbury’s Jan. 27, 2023 MBTA Communities Action Plan, six potential locations are identified for the multifamily residential zoning district: the town center, two areas in the town’s north side, two areas of Main Street and an area in the town’s southeast. In the survey, residents are asked to rank the areas they would prefer to be given the new zoning.
Billerica, which is directly served by the commuter rail, has begun to have these conversations as well. On June 12, the Northern Middlesex Council of Governments gave the Billerica Planning Board a “kickoff” presentation officially introducing the board to the concept. NMCOG Senior Planner Michael Asciola said in a July 5 letter to Billerica Planning and Community Development Director Erika Oliver Jerram that NMCOG felt interest from the board in having at least part of this district be directly around the commuter rail station in North Billerica, either by having the entire district in that area, or by creating two districts, with one by the rail station and the other along one of the two Lowell Regional Transit Authority routes.
The Billerica Planning Board is scheduled to continue their discussion on their requirements as an “MBTA Community” on July 10, now that they have had time to digest the information. The goal, NMCOG Deputy Director Kelly Lynema told the board, is to establish a new zoning district through a warrant article in the spring 2024 Town Meeting, with a deadline of Dec. 31, 2024.
The idea behind creating these new multifamily residential zoning districts is in part to help combat the ongoing housing crisis in Massachusetts, driven by the skyrocketing price of renting or buying a home. By making these zones in communities with public transit infrastructure, the idea is that the people who move into these districts will also be less likely to be reliant on personal vehicles, which is naturally aimed at chipping away at the climate crisis.
Reservations required?
THE JULY 25 meeting of the Dracut Board of Selectmen may strain the capacity of Town Hall if three anticipated subjects come before the board. In June, selectmen wanted to use the July meeting to talk with the owner of the Sandbar Beach Club and the owner of 167 Betty Ann Lane about complaints from each of their neighbors.
Now, Kevin O’Brien, whose proposed Murphy’s Farm development could bring 300 four-bedroom apartments to East Dracut, says he intends to be at that meeting to update selectmen on his project. Murphy’s Farm this past week received site eligibility approval from MassHousing, which makes it eligible for subsidies under the state’s Chapter 40B affordable housing law.
The Murphy’s Farm project had been simmering on the backburner for several months while neighbors of Richard Debay’s Long Pond club and neighbors of Flavio Granda Orbe’s $850,000 home have made news.
A few of the Sandbar’s neighbors complained about noise, traffic and safety issues — complaints which Zach Debay, who manages the club, strongly denies and has called false. Granda Orbe has drawn the ire of his neighbors over a 5,600-square-foot court for volleyball and soccer in his backyard.
O’Brien’s plan has raised fears in town of its potential impact on the school system and public safety facilities.
But MassHousing’s action was not unexpected, although it still must meet expectations from the Conservation Commission and the Zoning Board of Appeals. The Board of Selectmen and the Planning Board have no official role in the fate of this project.
Michelle Boermeester, who leads the Citizens Against Reckless Development in Dracut group, which is trying to stop Murphy’s Farm, said, “We expected the state to deem this as an eligible project. No surprise here, we know of the (state) housing crisis and the demand for affordable housing in Dracut. We’re not against reasonable housing projects and understand there is a need. This project, however, as proposed with its sheer size, will impact the entire Dracut community.”
CARDD will get together Monday night for an already-scheduled meeting. The meeting will be held at the Centralville Sportsmen’s Club, 308 Wheeler Road, and begins at 6:30 p.m.
Selectman Tony Archinski, who has encouraged CARDD to fight the proposal based on success his neighborhood had with stopping a 40B project, also expected the MassHousing decision. He expressed his disappointment with the 40B law and the lack of local control it means.
“I call on the ZBA, the Conservation Commission and all regulatory boards to do their due diligence in examining this proposal,” Archinski said.
Attendance at the July 25 meeting might warrant reservations for seating if the meeting remains at Town Hall. Some selectmen’s meetings have been held at Harmony Hall. Perhaps, this meeting would be a good candidate for another meeting at the Lakeview Avenue facility.
This week’s Column was prepared by reporters Melanie Gilbert in Lowell, Peter Currier in Tewksbury and Billerica, and Prudence Brighton in Dracut.
https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMiRWh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lmxvd2VsbHN1bi5jb20vMjAyMy8wNy8wOS90aGUtY29sdW1uLWFsd2F5cy10aW1lLWZvci1sb3ZlL9IBSWh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lmxvd2VsbHN1bi5jb20vMjAyMy8wNy8wOS90aGUtY29sdW1uLWFsd2F5cy10aW1lLWZvci1sb3ZlL2FtcC8?oc=5
2023-07-09 08:38:08Z
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