Despite dramatically shrinking the size of a proposed “Hospitality, Recreation, and Entertainment District” along Glen Charlie Road, representatives of the Quincy developer who proposed it faced sharp questions and criticism at a public hearing on Feb. 1.

The proposed “overlay” district previously was set to encompass about one quarter of the town’s landmass, including the roughly 275-acre property for which the Notos Group had presented plans in August of 2019 to build a horse racetrack and casino. It’s been cut down to about 963 acres.

While those plans appear  to be off the table, Notos has other not-yet-disclosed plans for the land and is asking the town to create a new district to accommodate them. The district would allow a variety of uses including hotels, conference centers, multiple family dwellings, hospitals and riding stables. All projects would have to include an “indoor and/or outdoor commercial recreation facility or place of amusement and residential uses.”

The proposal is destined for a vote at a Special Town Meeting, currently scheduled for March 13 but subject to postponement for what would be a third time. Monday’s hearing before the Planning Board was part of the process before that board takes a position on the proposed district. As a zoning change, the proposal would need a two-thirds majority approval at Town Meeting.Questions from townspeople and board members targeted provisions in the bylaw that would allow billboards, sewage treatment facilities and dormitory housing in the district.

“Allowing outdoor commercial advertising and billboards proximate to Rte. 25 would be a complete disservice to the town. You’re suggesting in the bylaw that it’s an ‘invitation to quality development.’ But out on Rte. 25 you can have billboards and signs advertising ‘Cheap John’s Joke Shop,’” said Charlie Rowley, a civil engineer frequently hired by the town. “Who wants that? It’s junk.”

In response, attorney Jeffery Tocchio, representing the Notos Group, strenuously defended the tastefulness of the company’s developments.

Rowley shot back: “I don’t believe we should be talking about your project. I think we should be talking about the zoning itself for the benefit of the entire town.” He said he wants to close any potential loopholes as he knows developers will exploit them.

The newest iteration of the zoning district still requires projects on at least 100-acre parcels and would require all proposals to go through a special permit process with the Planning Board, which gives the town a fair amount of say about what is built.

Currently, the land is zoned only for single-family homes on several acre lots.

“I’m not so much concerned about what they would put in there and the quality,” said Planning Board member Mike King. He said his only real concern with the zoning proposal would be ensuring that any developments would not impact the groundwater.

The zoning includes a provision stating that all projects must not increase the amount of nitrogen in the groundwater. Much of the land is included in at least one water protection overlay zone -- either the Groundwater Protection Zone or the Buttermilk Bay Zone.

Resident Kathy Pappalardo, president of the Wareham Land Trust, questioned “wastewater treatment facilities” as an allowed use, and said she hoped that would be removed.

Attorney Tocchio countered that developers would be able to provide better wastewater treatment than would 90 single-family homes with septic systems. 

The Planning Board continued the hearing to Feb. 8

To read the complete proposal, click here.