Reeling from the Planning Board’s recent 4-1 approval

To the Editor:
Hundreds of Rice Road neighbors around the Coptic Church, as well as town-wide residents, are reeling from the Planning Board’s recent 4-1 approval of the church’s application to build a massive diocesan complex on Wayland’s iconic scenic road. The project violates the resplendent conservation land.
The Planning Board’s actions are a disservice to the entire town. While the church has certain rights under the Dover Amendment, the PB ignored the discretion it has to reasonably limit the scope of the church’s extraordinary plan. It disregarded safety and the extreme disruption emanating from a five- to 10-year massive construction project on a narrow, curvy lane.
In addition, the PB cut off all public comment way too soon, before all details of the church’s plans were disclosed, which defies logic on how such an application could ever be approved. Did PB members capitulate over threats that the church would sue Wayland?
With the PB’s failure to respect the concerns and safety issues of the residents, we implore the Conservation Commission to curtail the church’s intentions to remove hundreds of trees, to adequately address water and septic run-off, and to honor long-held statutes protecting scenic roads.
Respect for the wildlife, as well as for the abutters, whose long-cherished tranquility will be lost due to years of construction and endless future traffic, must take precedence in these deliberations. Caring and responsible elected leaders must consider the best interests of the Wayland residents, and not just “bend the knee” to the Dover Amendment.
RaeAnn V. Duff
Bayberry Lane