Selectmen to review business park permit
By Caitlyn Kelleher JOURNAL REPORTER

Westminster Selectmen are scheduled to take up the issue of the ongoing earth removal at the Westminster Business Park off Batherick Road in April because the comment period for the Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act Office review period ends today.

Selectmen extended the earth removal permit until April 12 during one of their meetings this month after, meeting with the business park's owners, engineer and other officials. The Selectmen also discussed the issues with Town Planner Alicia Altieri, who had spoken to the officials at MEPA as the town's representative. She said the MEPA reviewers would not make any decisions until the deadline of March 28.

Selectmen decided that they wanted at least a week to review the decision so they will not be meeting with Selectmen at their April 2 meeting.

Altieri said the developers have completed the Planning Board's requirements for the development that would change two of the property bounds of the business park including the easement for the Mid-State Trail and the recent donation of the Cowe- Smith Property to the town's Conservation Commission.

"I just want to thank them," said Donna Brownell, of Watch Dogs for an Environmental Safe Town. "It's a good thing. They did the right thing in that case."

The developers say they have two committed businesses coming into the business park and one more business that they are in discussions with. One of the businesses would be an pet care facility and the other area is a disaster storage center for data.

Altieri is working on helping one of the incoming businesses with a Community Development Block Grant.

"It's a good think to have lots of little (businesses)," said Board Chairman John Fairbanks. "This maybe better in the long run (compared to a single large facility). … It allows us to grow with it."