Good news follows bad in Westwood Station saga

SJC rules against town, but state agrees to fund most infrastructure requests

While there is no way to sugarcoat last week’s defeat in the state’s highest court, officials in Canton remain very optimistic that the town will end up on the winning side of its dispute with Westwood Station after all — perhaps even sharing in the spoils alongside the developer — now that the state has agreed to fund nearly all of the town’s infrastructure requests.

Although Canton, unlike neighboring Westwood, does not stand to gain tax revenues from the 4.5 million-square-foot project, the state’s recent commitment of up to $55 million will reportedly pay for many of the roadway improvements that the town had been fighting for all along.

Canton Selectman Bob Burr confirmed as much in a telephone interview Saturday, noting that the targeted infrastructure improvements, which include a new ramp off Interstate 95 North at Dedham Street and widening of the Dedham Street Corridor, would “largely satisfy the needs of the town of Canton.”

News of the state’s investment was particularly encouraging for Canton officials as it came just days after the Supreme Judicial Court had ruled against the town in its bid to appeal an environmental permit obtained by the project’s developer, Cabot, Cabot & Forbes. The court determined that Canton had waited too long before filing an objection to the permit, which was issued in January 2008; however, Burr said the town had nothing to object to until highway permits were obtained, at which point they filed an appeal within the required 30 days.

Still, Burr called the ruling an “obvious blow to the town of Canton,” and he echoed state Representative Bill Galvin’s contention that it could very well lead to municipalities filing frivolous lawsuits against developers before they can prove any harm has been done.

“The law’s trying to do one thing (prevent lawsuits at the latter stages of a development process), but it actually creates other problems,” Burr explained.

But in terms of undermining Canton’s overall position with regard to roadway improvements, the court ruling, it seems, will have little to no effect. For not only has the state agreed to pay for the requested infrastructure upgrades; it has also made the funds dependent on continued cooperation with Canton, according to the Boston Globe, which cited a letter from the Patrick Administration to the developer.

Specifically, the Globe reported on Friday that the letter “urged Cabot to continue working with Canton officials to come up with additional traffic improvements to prevent cars from backing up on the town’s streets.”

Burr also alluded to the cooperation from the Patrick Administration, adding that he expects all parties to settle any remaining differences within a reasonable timeframe.

“We are in continued discussions with the developer and the state,” Burr said Saturday, “and we remain optimistic that a solution that satisfies all parties involved will be reached in a short period of time.”

As for those who are anxiously awaiting the project’s completion, a CC&F executive told the Globe last week that he is confident work will begin “in the coming months.” The developer also has incentive to get started as the state funds are reportedly conditioned on the project breaking ground this year.

According to a report in the Boston Herald, the first phase of the development is expected to include 400,000 square feet of retail space anchored by a Wegmans supermarket and a Target store. The Herald added that “more retail, plus offices and housing, are envisioned for the transit-oriented development as the commercial and residential real estate markets improve.”

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