Rockland: Officials vote to support Webster Street re-zoning

Rockland planning board met Thursday night and voted 3-2 in favor of supporting a town meeting petition article that would re-zone a section of Webster Street from residential to industrial.

The planning board voted to support the article, despite the fact that over 30 neighbors turned out to oppose it.

Article 48 would re-zone an existing house lot on the corner at the dead end of Webster Street from residential to industrial. If it passes at town meeting, the developer says he’ll buy the lot to add additional space for a supermarket he intends to build across the street.

One of the neighbors that adamantly opposes the article said, “My back bedroom window is 20 feet from where they want to put an industrial park. Twenty feet! So I’m going to have to listen to trucks and everything else? I’ve been there over 30 years. That’s something I’m going to have to live with–for a grocery store?

Colby Street resident Tony Direnzo is incensed at the planning board’s decision.

“We have the only town in the state with a package store next to a church. What does that tell you about the planning board? What does that tell you! They changed the zoning at town meeting so they could put a package store next to a church! Anything is possible,” said Direnzo.

Rockland’s annual town meeting is scheduled for May 2nd.