Former Temple Development Proposal Could Go To Fall Town Meeting

Selectmen have extended the sales negotiations agreement the town has with the developer of the town-owned Temple Israel property until April.

Charing Cross Realty Trust has proposed to buy the property from the town for $2.2 million and build 19 new homes on the site.

But proposed zoning changes needed for the development failed to get the required two-thirds vote at Town Meeting in May.

The item failed to receive a simple majority, going down to defeat by a vote of 93-104.

Representatives from the development company said after last week's selectmen meeting that they plan to talk to residents about the project in the coming weeks and months.

They also said they may present a new proposal to the expected fall Town Meeting and then seek approval of the Planning Board and the.

At Town Meeting, on May 8, opponents said the project's houses were clustered too densely — 19 single-family homes with five-foot setbacks on minimum sized lots of 3,600 square feet. Plus they required only 10 feet of frontage.

"They are going to be sitting right on top of each other," said Gene Barden, a former Planning Board member who served on the panel for many years.

Richard Gindes said the new development would diminish the value of properties in the neighborhood.

The project would raise $2.2 million for the town through the sale to Atlantic Crossing LLC and generate $150,000 a year in property taxes, Selectman Jill Sullivan said.