| A Brief Historical Timeline The road to completing the much needed, affordable housing initiative - Powder House Village - has been long and full of public meetings. The brief timeline below highlights 18 public meetings, vast number appeals work, and conveys the road ahead as the YMCA continues its efforts to bring the Ipswich community a strong affordable housing initiative. November 2003 Representatives of the YMCA meet with Ipswich Town Planner, Glenn Gibbs, to discuss the YMCA's interest in 108-112 County Road. The Y discusses it's interest in developing affordabel rental units on both sites. The YMCA is encouraged by the Town Planner to meet with the Planning Board and the Board of Selectmen regarding the development.
December 2003 The YMCA presents the concept of an affordable rental housing development to the Board of Selectmen. The Board of Selectmen unanimously approve the plan. The YMCA presents the concept of affordable rental housing development to the Ipswich Planning Board. The Planning Board encourages the YMCA to include a small commercial component to the development as the property exists in the commercial corrider of the Town of Ipswich. The YMCA adopts this suggestion and includes four small commercial units into the overall plan. The Planning Board unanimously supports the plan.
August 2004 The YMCA receives a 40B comprehensive permit from the Ipswich Zoning Board of Appeals for a 49 unit affordable housing complex with a limited commercial component (requested by the Ipswich Planning Board). The issuing of the permit is the culmination of a 9 month permitting process which included 18 public meetings with various town authorities...i.e. Zoning Board of Appeals, Planning Board, Conservation Commission, Board of Selectmen, Ipswich Housing Authority, State Department of Environmental Protection, etc.
September 2004
a) The Ipswich Zoning Board of Appeals 40B comprehensive permit is appealed by two separate parties:
- Abutter Warren Jepson (sic ICFRG)
- Ipswich Housing Authority
b) The case is heard in Lawrence Superior Court by Judge Kottmyer
c) YMCA Petitions for Summary Judgment ()
July 2005 Case is heard
January 3, 2006 Y wins Summary Judgment on both appeals.
January 20-30, 2006 a) Both parties appeal Summary Judgment
b) Kathy Savoy identified as Jepson's lead Attorney
c) This Appeal will be heard by the Court of Appeals and is likely the last stop of this case's journey
Approximate time frame for case(s) to be decided: February/March 2006 - Court to assemble the cases record: 10 days - Appellant must docket the appeal 40 days - Appellant to submit their brief 30 days - Y submits brief 20 days - Appellant to submit reply brief Then - Court of Appeals can either decide the case on paper or schedule oral arguments
6-12 months - For a decision (approximately end of 2006 to mid 2007)
April 2006 A New Twist - Appellant Jepson (ICFRG) pursued a warrant for discussion at town meeting to vote for a nonbinding referendum on the ballot for additional discussion with the YMCA regarding Powder House Village.
June 2006 The YMCA met in Executive Session with the Ipswich Board of Selectmen to discuss the appeals with their co-defendent.
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