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MILLBURY, Mass. — Plans for a single-family home on Backstrad Road in Millbury may have hit a snag: The road is in such poor condition, the rights to access it may be in jeopardy.
Mark Anderson of Heritage Design Group, representing land owner Jessica Belsito, told the Planning Board that Belsito plans to build her home at the rear of a 50-acre parcel of land in the area of South Oxford Road and West Main Street. The home borders the area of the old Windle Airport/Pearson Farms and would front on Backstrad Road.
Planning Board Chairman Richard Gosselin questioned whether Backstrad Road, which is overgrown in many places, may have reverted in ownership back to Pearson Farm. The Planning Board cannot approve a home on the property without proper road frontage. He suggested a land use attorney could satisfy the question of access rights and a full field survery of the property would be needed.
Backstrad Road would also need several improvements, Anderson said. New drainage would be needed, the road would have to be widened to allow emergency vehicle access and the road would have to be repaved using recycled asphalt.
The matter will be discussed at a future meeting.
The board’s next scheduled meeting is Monday, Jan. 28, at 7:15 p.m. On the agenda is the proposed expansion of A&D Pizza and the Truck Supply proposal for Route 146.
Comments (9)
It would be nice if the town could just let them build on the parcel of land, But with no promises being made that the roads would be fixed and improved...
Liberal - The town does not have enough money to maintain the roads it is currently responsible for let alone build/improve streets to benefit a single property owner. For this to be truly equitable, the rights to subdivide the 50 acres (minus one lot) should be given to the town in exchange for building a new road. Then it may be a revenue positive endeavor for the town.
There are 2 parts to Backstrad Rd. The one on West Main St was used during the bicentennial event. The other one is off South Oxford Rd and is impassable in parts. They've recently (couple years) been designated as "North" and "South."
We used this road for the Bicentennial event "Battle at Pearson's farm" and the road is now in pretty good shape. Have you seen some of the other dirt roads in town? They are in far worse condition. Backstradt Road is not overgrown. As far as making it wider for emergency vehicles, there is already a home at the end of the road, aren't they in danger if fire/ambulance/police can't get up the road?
Because orche you are a conservative and therefore against everything. Please explain to me how building new homes in Millbury can possibly be a bad thing? I'm sure that there are plenty of carpenters, electricians, plumbers, and even a town manager who would differ. And then you want to run a successful Millbury business that wants to expand out of town. Face it, if I had posted as "reagan" or "palin" instead of "liberal" you would never have posted your lame response.
Because Liberal, sometimes it doesn't make sense to "just do something". I know as a liberal you would just like anyone to be able to do anything they want any time they want but there are rules and laws to follow. And not every home built is a good thing.
Yes A & D Pizza is a good local business. But there is no room there to expand. Let them move somewhere else.
Also, A&D Pizza is an excellent Millbury business. Very active in the community. they employ Millbury residents, if their buisness is doing that well, let them expand. Truck Supply? Never heard of them? Tractor Supply yes, good as well, another taxpaying business, employing Millbury residents, otherwise you have a swamp. Swamps don't pay taxes.
I basically agree with you on this one.
Has the 50 acre parcel been paying property taxes? Does she have the required frontage? If so, fix the road and let her build her house. Seems pretty clear to me. In fact maybe others would build if the road is improved. New homes pay taxes. Why are we always looking for reasons "not" to do something?