Plymouth Tea Party ?

This just in.

Following the very narrow approval of the increase in the meals tax at the recent Plymouth Town Meeting, a small band of activists refused to stand by and watch another tax increase, especially in the face of a recession featuring, as we now know, 10%+ unemployment, be foisted on local taxpayers.

Working under a very tight time constraint, the required number of signatures have been gathered to ensure that the question be placed on the Spring Town ballot.

This not only speaks to the potential of a small, but determined, group of committed citizens, but also of the relative receptiveness of local government. We should be glad we didn't have to depend on Terry Murray and her Beacon Hill cronies to ignore the people's voice as they did with the petition to put the Gay Marriage issue on the ballot.

Stay tuned.

12 days to Go - Local/County/State Politics

A few days ago, the Massachusetts G.O.P. launched an initiative aimed at providing financial support to state legislative candidates. With the the state legislature 88%Democratic, the need to support Republican candidates speaks for itself. The View supports this effort. For more information click HERE for Rob Willington's letter as posted on Red Mass Group.

At the same time, there are several local races where Republican candidates can use your support and your vote.

Vinny deMacedo is running for re-election as Mass. State representative in the First Plymouth District. As one of only 18 republican House members, and as one of the most effective members of the Legislature, Vinny has earned our support. For more on this, Click HERE to read The View/s recent endorsement.




Jeff Beatty is running a very tough uphill race to unseat Senator John Kerry. While an impressive candidate in his own right, Beatty has been severely handicapped by Kerry's deep pockets and high visibility. Getting out the vote for Jeff Beatty will send a message regarding Kerry's thin record of accomplishment. Learn more about Jeff by clicking BEATTY.



Marshfield's Ed O'Connell is running a strong campaign for Plymouth County Treasurer. Visit his WEBSITE to review Ed's plans for improving county government and to see why Ed deserves your support at the polls.






Ron Davy, long active in Plymouth County as well as in his home town of Hull is running for Plymouth County Commissioner. He brings impeccable credentials and a strong Republican ethic to the task. Click DAVY to learn more about Ron Davy and why he deserves your vote.



Given the low number of Republicans holding, or running for, office in Massachusetts makes it clear that these are not the best of times for the GOP. At the same time, The coming Tsunami of cutbacks in State government will highlight the abject failure of one-party Democratic rule that lacks the checks and balances needed for effective government. Support of these candidates and contributions to the GOP Farm Team are important first steps, but the need to do more is obvious.

As we move beyond the election, the Republican Party must reach out beyond its immediate constituency to conservatives and moderates with concerns about the dangers of a one-party system. It must convince purists, and others, that while not perfect, the GOP is the only party with the organization and resources to lead the fight to regaining the balance in government that strives to treat all citizens fairly.

Re-Elect Vinny deMacedo

For ten years, Vinny deMacedo has represented the First Plymouth District in the Massachusetts House of Representatives. At present, he is the ranking Republican on the powerful Ways and Means Committee. The View wholeheartedly endorses deMacedo for re-election.

First and foremost, Vinny deMacedo is a family man with deep roots in the local Plymouth community. As a small business owner, he experiences firsthand the impact of the laws passed by his colleagues on Beacon Hill. He knows the demands of providing for a family and meeting a payroll. Vinny also understands the workings of state government. He was voted Legislator of the Year by the Massachusetts Town Clerk's Association at its annual meeting in June, 2008.

As one of only nineteen Republicans, out of a total of 160 House members, Vinny provides the crucial leadership for the continuation of a two-party system in Massachusetts. Dominated by the other party, state spending has grown disproportionately as more and more expensive tax-payer supported programs are created, without adequate, or possibly any, concern for the cost side of the ledger, pushing the state budget to unsustainable levels. This extremism is also carried over to non-financial issues where government-initiated social changes have been pushed through without regard for the traditional values being trampled. While lacking the power to act unilaterally, Republicans like Vinny deMacedo are the sole voice of reason. As William F. Buckley, Jr. might have said, they are standing athwart history yelling "stop".

On October 30th, a birthday celebration for Vinny deMacedo will be held at the John Alden Club in Plymouth from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.. Click HERE for more details. All are invited to come down to show support for Vinny deMacedo. If you are unable to attend, but would like to make a donation, please send a personal check to The deMacedo Committee P.O. Box 882, Plymouth, MA 02362

The Rock Unveiled

Just in time for the busy winter tourist season, the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation announced the completion of the renovations to the portico covering one of America's most enduring landmarks, Plymouth Rock. All summer, glimpses of the Rock have been available only through a cloudy Plexiglas window as the almost ninety-year-old portico has been shrouded with scaffolding. The project missed its July 4th completion date apparently due to the lack of availability of authentic ceiling tiles. To everyone's relief, the tiles have been acquired and installed and the $500 thousand project is now completed.

As many as a million tourists a year visit Pilgrim Memorial State Park to see the historic piece of stone commemorating the point at which the first settlers of the New World, aka, the Pilgrims, in 1620 stepped on what would become American soil. To gaze upon the Rock as the simple beginnings of our great country is clearly a thought-provoking and inspiring experience. Now, thanks to the re-hab, the experience won't be interrupted by falling ceiling tiles.

In honor of the event, the View is adding a new photo to its masthead showing, what else, the view from Plymouth Rock.

Hollywood East - More Details

In order to be in position to vote at its September 15th meeting as to whether or not to recommend the Movie and Entertainment Production Overlay District, or MEPOD to the October Town Meeting, The Plymouth Planning Board is continuing its marathon review process. Not only is time short, but due to the fact that Plymouth Rock Studio is seeking an "As-of-Right" approval rather than the more restrictive Special permit, there is added pressure on the developer to provide detailed plans for the project. To date, the review process has already produced a much more clear picture of what is planned for the current site of the Waverly Oaks Golf course.

Plymouth Rock Studios will be a very substantial development for Plymouth consisting of 2 million square feet of space configured in a variety of structures. With an estimated cost of $422 million, the complex will include a dozen sound stages, a back lot, an office building and a 300 room hotel. The site will also include 125 units of housing consisting of ten single family homes that will be for sale, plus 100 apartment units and fifteen condos that will be rentals. The sound stages are expected to be limited to 65 feet in height, except for one that will be allowed to 75 feet. The other buildings are expected to have a 45 foot height limit.

As expected, an investment of this magnitude has garnered a lot of support from Town officials and voters. While it is pointed out that 88% of those voting in the spring election (approximately 25% of the registered voters) voted yes on a non-binding referendum supporting a movie studio for Plymouth. At that time, however, the Waverly Oaks site was not identified. The expectation of up to 1,000 construction jobs followed by as many as 2,000 full-time jobs with an average annual salary of $70,000, would provide significant stimulus to the local economy.

The only fly in the ointment is whether or not a project of this size and scope can be situated in the quiet residential area along Long Pond Road. The developers are quick to reassure residents that the quality of life in the area will not be compromised by the studio. Many of the local residents are not so sure. One of the major concerns would be the traffic, estimated at 9,000 auto trips per day. The proposed solution, a new access road that would parallel Rte 3, south to Clark Road, would seemingly be a solution to the traffic concerns. The one caveat is whether or not the traffic engineers can sort out the stretch of Clark Road from Rte 3, west to the intersection of Long Pond Road. This area is already congested at the busy times of the day.

Plymouth Rock Studios is seeking the "As-of-Right" permit to protect its significant investment, but many are concerned that such an approval gives them a Carte Blanche to develop the site. A Special permit approval would provide more safeguards to the Town during the development process, but that is not what PRS is seeking. Final approval, to a great extent, depends upon whether Town Meeting members are satisfied with the detailed scope of the project.

Hollywood East, The Saga Continues

As reported PREVIOUSLY, plans for the Hollywood East studio continue to emerge as the promoters meet regularly with the Plymouth Planning Board. The overall approval process is ramping up in advance of the October Town Meeting, which will have the final say on this project slated for the Waverly Oaks Golf Club site on Long Pond Road. These meetings are open to the public and may also be viewed on Comcast Channel 15. The dates for the next several meetings is as follows:

Monday, August 25- Planning Board Workshop

- Design guidelines
- Building façade
- Landscape buffers/ screens

Wednesday, August 27- Planning Board Workshop

-Traffic impacts & mitigation
-noise analysis

Wednesday, September 3- Planning Board Workshop

-Review Impacts and mitigation
-Final Review MEPOD language

Meetings will begin at 7:00 p.m. at Plymouth Town Hall., 11 Lincoln Street. Please call 508-726-1968 with any questions regarding these important meetings".

For a look at a Hollywood East slide presentation showing the proposed site layout and other details, click
HERE

Plymouth Rock Studios maintains a WEB SITE with information about the organization and the proposed studio project.

After months of discussion, it now looks as though the Town of Plymouth will reach a decision on the studio project within the next six weeks.

Hollywood East-The Details

After months of false starts and endless rumors, Plymouth Rock studios is beginning to provide details as to what they plan to build on the site of the Waverly Oaks Golf Club in Plymouth. At a community meeting last night at Plymouth South High School, officials of the Plymouth Planning Board and The Studio described in broad brush terms the construction of 14 sound stages, administrative buildings, a ten acre "back lot" and a hotel/amenity cluster, all to be built around the existing Waverly Oaks clubhouse which is to remain in place.

One of the major concerns about the proposed facility is its access from Long Pond Road. The proposed solution is to cut a new access road in from Clark Road near the south bound exit ramp from Route 3 (aka, the Freeway). This road would run north along Route 3, behind the middle school and enter the site from the south. It would be used during construction and eventually used for school bus traffic as well as studio access and would go a long way towards taking traffic off of Long Pond Road. What it will do to the area surrounding Exit 3, remains to be seen. The aerial photo below shows the 200 acres of Town conservation land between the school complex and Clark Road through which the access road will pass.



Approval for the road must be secured from the Wildlands Trust as well as the Mass Highway Department. The exact configuration at Clark Road will be a major challenge to the design engineers and is sure to become a major concern for local residents. While a new dedicated on/off ramp from Route 3 to the studio might be a long term solution, The new access road is being proposed as the immediate access remedy. According to Plymouth resident and studio consultant Kevin O'Reilly, the access road is the key to the project. If it is not approved, the studio would have to seek an alternative site.

During the meeting a number of studio's neighbors expressed concern about any noise and light that might be emitted by the studio. While the studio execs attempted to characterize the facility as being as "quiet as a library", there will be procedures for notification of residents if excessive noise is expected. just in case? Most of the residents voicing questions and concerns seemed to live off Long Pond Road. But as the following aerial photo shows, some of the neighborhoods on the east side of Rte 3 will also be in close proximity to the studio.



In order for the studio to secure Town Meeting Approval this fall, they must supply the Planning Board with sufficient project detail, especially given that they are applying for an "as-of right", or "allowed use" approval which would eliminate the requirement that the studio come back to the Town under the special permit process for specific use. This sounds a lot like Carte Blanche approval and it puts extra pressure on the Planning Board to determine exactly what will be built.

The benefits of the new facility start with the prospect of up to 1,000 construction jobs during development followed by up to 2,000 jobs as movies are produced at the facility. While the state will provide a 25% tax credit for production related expenses, the town will receive the benefit of property tax income. These benefits cannot be dismissed out of hand.

It is clear that this project has a lot of support in Plymouth and it could well be a positive addition to the Town. But the devil is in the details. It all starts tonight at 7:00 at the Town Hall, or on a television near you. It's sure to be a long boring process, but one to which residents might want to pay a lot of attention.