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Somerville residents press council over Bridgewater development; borough says it lacks standing until a site plan is filed
Summary
Residents told council Dec. 1 they are funding legal action and worried a Bridgewater development will route traffic onto Cornell Boulevard. The mayor said Somerville currently lacks legal standing to challenge private work but will act when a site plan application is filed.
Residents of the Cornell Boulevard area urged Somerville Borough Council to intervene in a proposed Bridgewater development that neighbors say is already preparing the site.
Steve Moss said his neighborhood pooled about $17,000 for legal action and that he saw excavation suggesting percolation tests were underway. "When we start digging, we're doing percolation tests for stormwater management," Moss said, adding that additional units would increase cut-through traffic onto Cornell Boulevard.
Maureen Dwyer asked when the borough would act and said residents fear trees and buffers will be removed. Council members responded that because the parcel is privately owned and the borough received the required notifications in a way that leaves the borough without standing to file suit now, legal action by the borough could be dismissed and expose the borough to costs. Mayor Brian Gallagher said borough planners and attorneys are monitoring the situation and that the borough will take a strong position when and if a site-plan application is filed.
The mayor said the borough's role will be more active at the application stage and urged Bridgewater leaders to take a similar public stance. No immediate enforcement action was taken, and residents said they will continue their legal review.
