Take a Moment to Understand the Proposed Assisted Living Facility Bylaw Before Town Meeting

My take on the assisted living bylaw for Seekonk's June Town Meeting:

1. A need exists in town for assisted living services. According to the latest census, Seekonk's senior population has increased. Currently, if Seekonk seniors find that they need assistance to live, they must move to another community.

2. As the by-law is written, a special permit can be granted by the Planning Board to allow this use in a residential zone.

3. A building plan will have to be approved by the Board of Health.

4. The Planning Board will have to have a public hearing, and also decide if the proposed plan will not be more detrimental to the neighborhood than the current uses. (i.e. the new assisted living cannot be busier, louder, brighter, smellier, etc. ... than the surrounding neighborhood.)

5. At the public hearing, neighbors and other citizens can speak for or against the project so that town voices can be heard.

6. My one major concern is that of abutting neighbor protection. Taking a lesson learned from the Green Briar development off of Colfall Street, the Planning Board will be supporting my amendment to ensure that a 6-foot-tall vegetative buffer can be required to ensure neighbor privacy. (The actual wording is very long, but it will be on a handout for all voters at town meeting.) I feel that without this amendment, the bylaw does not do enough to protect neighbors.

7. The ancillary services offered by the facility would be for residents only. So, traffic will not increase and noise will not increase.

8. Preference for acceptance will be given to Seekonk residents. 

9. The idea is to have your loved one living in a nice quiet neighborhood in Seekonk, just like she did before she needed some assistance.