Why are Greenfield’s zoning rules being rewritten to benefit developers at the expense of the taxpayers? This is happening now! The newly proposed Stone Farm lane development includes 24 condo units followed by 20 one- and two-family homes. The family units are fine and already meet the city’s zoning. The City Council just erased a requirement for a special permit for the condo part. Why?

They changed 4-plus unit buildings to unlimited with no special permit! Our city’s special permit has a set of requirement specifically to help protect our neighborhoods. Those permits also include traffic studies to determine if the roads in and out will support the double amount of traffic in the developers proposal.

Special permitting can also require open meetings, which gives the public a chance to be heard, and to voice issues that will affect us forever. The change from four family units to unlimited is reckless and ridiculous. Not all developers are saints or even close.

This rewritten rule will affect every taxpayer in Greenfield, with the potential loss of control over multifamily housing in our and your neighborhoods.

Please contact your city councilor and let them know if you are in favor of giving away your right to speak out and be heard about what happens in our neighborhoods.

Chris Ethier

Greenfield