Letters to the Editor

I was once again severely disappointed both by the secretive actions and the ultimate decision of the Select Board with regard to the lease of The Woods. Issuing “an ultimatum” is a sure way to collapse the project altogether and in doing so, guarantee that there will not be a restaurant in that space anytime soon (if ever). If the amount of money that Brian Piccini has already reportedly spent trying to get this done is not an indication of his sincerity, I don’t know what it. And all these “Executive Session” meetings that exclude the public are also not…

In Laurie Bent’s Oct.  9 Letter to the Editor published in the Weston Observer, our former Select Board member appears woefully uninformed about the Route 30 “Reconstruction” project.  Ms. Bent states “The road [Route 30] will soon have to be repaved.” This is FALSE. In 2023 the state repaved almost the entire length of Route 30. According to the project engineers, Howard Stein Hudson (HSH), this repaving should last 20 years with proper maintenance. Here is the HSH response to a March 13, 2025 email from Mr. Lou Mercuri: “In 2023, MassDOT paved approximately 3.75 miles of Route 30 in…

Support landscaping noise bylaw at Town Meeting A homeowner’s right to maintain property should not mean neighbors must endure industrial-scale commercial noise inside their own homes. This is the heart of Weston’s proposed Landscaping Noise Bylaw. Every spring and fall, my neighborhood is overwhelmed hours on end by the noise of a 900-pound, 35-horsepower stand-on blower. Generating the roar of more than 10 standard blowers combined, its low-frequency vibrations disrupt life in our house for my family and work-from-home calls. Just like any industry, landscaping businesses must balance operations against a resident’s property rights. We regulate external business disruptions everywhere…

I live across from the wooded hillside that could soon hold a 215 unit complex. I will fiercely advocate for low and middle income seniors to have equitable options to age, but his plan fails them. Our senior housing bylaw would allow 42 homes here. This proposal asks for five times that density, up to 57 feet, with over triple the building size current zoning allows, constructing the second-largest building in Weston. Minor architectural updates cannot mask reality: this immense massing is something the developer cannot easily fix without reducing unit count. When asked about monthly rents, an HYM representative…

The bike path along Route 30 is unnecessary, unsafe, damaging to the environment and the rural character of Weston. It is unnecessary. Adult bicycle riders prefer low traffic, open, rural roads to busier routes. That’s why you don’t see them riding on Routes 20 or 30, or the old railroad tracks path, but on lower traffic town roads. It is unsafe.  I live at Route 30 and Wellesley Street. I see the traffic, speed, and crashes firsthand; cars have ended up on my sidewalk and even hit my fence. Adding a bike path beside a heavily traveled state road and…

We at Engage Weston support the HYM proposal for the roughly 35 acres of land that Regis is definitely selling.  Regis has multiple bidders. The highest bids were from 40B developers; HYM the next highest. There are good things about the HYM project: Regis has indicated that 40B developers made offers even after Regis selected HYM. Clearly, 40B developers believe 40B projects can succeed on this land – despite some claims of the opposite. Engage Weston takes seriously this 40B risk, and feels it is far better  to accept the less disruptive and more positive HYM proposal. The HYM/Regis purchase…

The Observer’s coverage of the Oct. 5 School Committee meeting quoted a speaker as saying that WPS superintendents change “every two to three years on average.” This surprised me: our family has known only two superintendents during our time in WPS. Weston has a long history of successful relationships with its superintendents. A review of permanent superintendents’ tenures since 1984 shows an average of approximately six years: Thomas Whalen (1984–1988); Meredith Jones (1988–1997); Alan Oliff (1998–2008); Cheryl Maloney (2008–2015); Robert Tremblay (2016–2017); Midge Connolly (2017–2023); and Karen Zaleski (2023–present). John Stayn (1997–1998) and John Brackett (2015–2016) each served a planned…

We all know it’s a treacherous stretch of road between the firehouse and the highway entrances where there is no sidewalk at all.  We cannot leave our driveway without being in a car, and even then, it can take up to a few minutes to take a left out of our driveway onto Route 30, strictly depending on the kindness of someone slowing down and letting us out.  Though we knew some trees would be lost, and we would see and hear the Pike even more than we do now, it felt like a shaky tradeoff for folks to be…

I took my dogs on a ramble through the Jericho Woods behind our house today as we do most days. During covid, I came to learn every inch of those trails. Our walk takes us through Wayland and Lincoln town land past (currently) dried out wetlands, taking in the yellowing ferns and with fall leaves beginning to cover the trails. I sometimes hear the hoots of the native owls and sometimes spot them high up in a tree. These are moments of peace in an otherwise busy day. Time to breathe deeply, look up, and take in the beauty that…

Why wait for our 60th reunion? Most of Weston High School’s Class of 1969 are turning 75 years young. After months of planning and outreach, we gathered Sept. 25 and 27 to celebrate our 57th reunion. Even a nor’easter could not keep us from enjoying one another. Friday brought us together at a classmate’s cozy home. On Saturday, student ambassadors showed us around the high school before we celebrated at the Art & Innovation Center, our old library. Sunday’s wind and rain sent a few diehards downtown for a farewell coffee. At Saturday’s celebration, 45 classmates were with us only…

On behalf of the Friends of the Weston Depot Corporation (westondepotfriends.org, a 501(c)(3) non-profit), I would like to reply to the recent letter from Michael Hecht (Weston Observer, Sept. 18). We, like Mr. Hecht, are concerned about the degraded condition of the 1881 Depot on the Rail Trail. At the conclusion of land-lease negotiations with the MBTA, we plan major fund-raising for building restoration. We all want to see the Depot returned to community use. Where we disagree with Mr. Hecht is that it is our educated opinion (four of our directors are preservation architects) that the original building remains…

I support the proposed Route 30 Project, which will benefit Weston by: Some of the concerns expressed by project opponents are exaggerated. One commentator stated that 900 to 1,000 trees were going to be cut.  The true number is 360 trees, and because the existing tree canopy is in decline, only 22 of these are in excellent or good health.  The plans call for re-invigorating the existing canopy by planting at least 250 trees, a one-for-one replacement for every removed tree that is in fair or better condition.  To put this number in perspective, a developer clear-cutting a 1.5 acre…

Coming from a military family where my brothers have been deployed throughout their careers in conflicts around the world, I would like to bring this day to light for our community and recognize our military’s sacrifices who are overseas and their families who support them. This observance traces back to shine a light on the dedication and responsibilities carried by those stationed far from home, ensuring their service is never overlooked. The observance began in 2006 through the grassroots efforts of Shelle Michaels Aberle, a volunteer with the support organization Soldiers & Angels. Aberle who wanted a way to honor…

It’s time to counter the spate of falsehoods about the Route 30 Shared Use Path (SUP). As a member of the Traffic & Sidewalk Committee in 2024 when Town Meeting approved the Route 30 Project, I know the design was very similar to the 75% design to be voted on this year. There was no attempt to hide MassDOT’s change from the sidewalk to a SUP. Diagrams were presented including an alternative sidewalk design with buffered bicycle lanes on Route 30 that separated cars from bicycles. This was rejected because it would have been wider than the SUP and would…

We have noticed the latest Observer headline regarding your desiring some feedback in regard to the Flock cameras, (Weston Observer, Sept. 18). I have been instructed by my wife, Katharina, to advise you with some force as to our position re Flock. To quote, “Tell them that WE LOVE AND TRUST THE WESTON POLICE FORCE!” and so, yes.  Keep our Flock cameras deployed. She also made notice that she/we also love the Weston Observer! In sum.  Come on guys.  There should be no debate here – not in this town. Brooks and Katharina Helmick, Scotch Pine Road Ed. note: The…

Leslye and I have lived in Weston since 1989 and since 2003 we have lived at the corner of Wellesley Street and Route 30. It’s not a road project anymore. Route 30 was fully repaved in 2023 and is good for another 20 years according to Town’s consultant. Why are we building a $20 million, 3.7-mile bicycle path? Town Meeting never approved this project. Voters okayed a $6 to $7 million road repair in 2018. A committee quietly swapped in a 3.7-mile bike path in 2019 – no vote. No one uses this bike path today. Route 30 project makes…

Come join me on a bike ride across Weston on route 30, the only east-west corridor within several miles.  Cycle it with me, if you dare.    Bike to school, parents tell children. It’s good exercise, it’s better for the environment, bicycling means fewer cars on the road. And you should learn to be independent, and I have to get to work. Oh, wait, don’t bicycle to school. Route 30 is unsafe–no bike lane or shared-use path.  I’ve cycled route 30. Even cycling in the opposite direction from the bulk of rush-hour traffic, it’s dangerous and in some sections it’s terrifying.  …

Here is an opportunity for civic engagement that has a positive impact on our community—apply to join the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA). You may ask, what does the ZBA do? Ever since 1928, the ZBA has been responsible for considering relief from some of the town’s Zoning By-law provisions, such as granting special permits or variances for building projects, and deciding appeals from the town’s Building Inspector’s decisions. The ZBA also reviews projects governed by the state’s affordable housing law. The ZBA board consists of three full members and three associate members, all volunteers, each appointed by the Select…

The walls loomed in around me, seeming to close with each passing second. This challenge was one that I had anticipated for weeks. Four weeks ago, I attended the Escape From The Terrible Thicket program. Though I walked in nervous, I would soon discover that there was more to this program than meets the eye. I was nervous because I was younger than the intended age group and worried about being locked inside. However, despite my worries, I found the program enjoyable and fun, as I met some of my friends and we got to work on a multitude of…

The rain was pouring as I stepped out of the car, drenching me every second I waited for my mom and brother to follow. The bright lights of the library seemed so close, but by the time we made it inside, we were soaked. A couple weeks ago, my brother and I attended the Escape the Terrible Thicket program at the Weston Library. We teamed up with other kids to escape the forest, turning a dull evening into an opportunity for fun. We worked in a makeshift space enclosed by tall, rectangular, forest-painted boards, and there were mini challenges with…