Wayland selectmen vote 5-0 to award River's Edge to Wood Partners

WAYLAND -- January 30, 2017, Wayland selectmen unanimously award River's Edge apartments to Wood Partners over residents' relocation concerns. The Board of Selectmen voted 5-0 Monday to issue a notice of award for the town-owned parcel at 484-490 Boston Post Road, advancing a project town meeting authorized 303-99 in April 2014. Public commenters including Mike Lowry and Linda Siegel urged delay, citing unresolved plans for relocating school bus parking and a DPW lay-down area; a neighborhood petition opposed parking 21 buses at the middle school. Town Manager Nan Ballmer said buses can remain on site until closing in March 2018 or later, and noted the current bus contract allows off-site storage at $241,000 per year. One selectman called fears about the bus relocation a "pig in a poke," drawing audible objections from the room. The project is projected to net more than $500,000 annually and brings the town close to the state's 10 percent affordable-housing threshold.