🔨 Framingham Union Plans NICU Closure
Talkin' 'bout the car wash | Miller Ave Plans Returns | The Civic Week Ahead
Good evening, Framingham.
A joyous reminder we spring forward on Sunday, March 9. We made it to spring and longer days!
Also to celebrate - our Flyers athletes!
The Flyers Dance team are now 3x state champions. They took first place in the Hip Hop division over the weekend. They are onto the New England Championships.
Flyers Girls Wrestling Team are Division 1 State Champions! Adriana DeGroat took first place in the weight class, and was voted Most Outstanding Wrestler of the tournament. Senior Captain Leah Condriet took first place, Jaymie Last took second and Parker Robles finished fourth.
Flyers Boys Swim & Dive Team took home the title at the MIAA South Sectional Champions a few weeks ago.
Way to go Flyers!
1.| Hospital Plan NICU Closure
Another piece of Framingham Union Hospital is scheduled for closure this summer.
Effecting our kids: Dallas-based Tenet Health plans closing the Level IIB Special Care Nursery this June.
The CEO of the MetroWest Medical Center John Whitlock shared the news with Mayor Sisitsky and the Commonwealth earlier in February.
What is left?: The Beautiful Beginnings Birth Center, aka the maternity ward at the hospital, will remain open. Babies needing more care must go to either Boston or Worcester. The hospital sees 500 births a year, with about 50 requiring level II care.
Concerns about the future: Councilors expressed concern about what this means for the hospital.If parents worry their baby may need additional care, they will not even consider Framingham. Then births will decrease, with the hospital ultimately closing the nursery. Tenet has been trying to sell off parts of the hospital for a while. There is fear Framingham will be left without the hospital unless someone steps in to stop it.
Mayor Sisitsky told the Council he wrote a letter to the Department of Public Health requesting a public hearing on the matter, just like what happened when Tenet was trying to close the Cancer Center. Tufts later stepped in to buy the center.
Other news: The MetroWest Medical Center will not renew their contract with the Wellness Center on Route 9. All services, except for the pool, will relocate to the hospital or the offices on Lincoln Street.
2.| Talkin' 'bout the car wash
How about a car wash with your fried chicken?
Well, soon you’ll be able to do that with the new car wash projected for construction next to the yet-to-be-opened Raising Cane’s on Cochituate Road.
Goodbye Aegean: The old building of the Aegean restaurant will be torn down to make way for the new car wash.
The new structure features a 130 foot long automatic car wash tunnel. It will also include 20 vacuum parking spaces. The drive through lanes have a stacking capacity for 20 cars.
What about traffic?: According to the application, “No traffic backups to Cochituate Road from the car wash tunnel are anticipated.” Their traffic study states the car wash will increase Saturday peak hour traffic by “approximately 21 vehicles at the site driveway.”
Both Raising Cane’s and the car wash will have the same enter and exit.
Raising Cane’s will open in late April/early May.
Approved: The car wash application was approved at the end of last year.
3.| Miller Ave Plans Returns
What neighbors hoped was a housing plan that went away, came back this month.
What’s the plan?: A Newton-based developer submitted an application to the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) requesting approval to build a two family, three floor, more than 30 feet tall building at 35 Miller Avenue, near Lake Waushakum in the Coburnville neighborhood.
Currently on the site is a 986 square foot, single story bungalow built in 1932. The rest of the neighborhood consists of one and two story single family residences. The proposed building would tower over surrounding homes, including 69 Whitney Avenue with ten feet of separation.
Why does it need special approval?: The proposed two-family building is located in a general residence zoning. Under Framingham zoning laws, a two-family building can only be built in a general zoning if the developer receives approval from the ZBA.
Back in January: The neighbors rallied together to express their displeasure with the project, due to its size and the negative impact of an increased storm water flow into Lake Waushakum, which already has issues with urban runoff.
Additionally, the project architect is an associate member of the ZBA.
Days before the ZBA hearing, the developer withdrew his plans for the building.
What now?: The developer is back, with new plans. It is still for a three story, two family building (that is incredibly ugly) standing at 31- 5 ¼ feet. The developer claims the site is 8,092 square feet, while the city says it is 7449 square feet.
Additional zoning relief would be required if the site is, in fact, 8,092 square feet.
Miller Avenue is a dead end street, with very limited parking. The project proposes four parking spaces. Neighbors are concerned there is no space to handle a two family building with parking.
What’s next?: The proposal goes in front of the Zoning Board of Appeals at the next meeting on March 12.
Community Events
Tree and Shrub Pruning
DPW is conducting tree and shrub pruning from March 10-21, between 7 am and 3 pm.
This work is part of the City’s ongoing efforts to maintain safe and healthy trees while ensuring clear visibility and access along public streets and sidewalks.
Any trees that are decayed, insect-infested, damaged, or structurally weak may be removed to prevent potential hazards.
Work will be completed and/or overseen by certified arborists, and all debris from the pruning program will be cleared and removed.
Residents can find more information, including maps of designated pruning zones, by visiting www.framinghamma.gov/treepruning.
Troop 12 Pancakes Breakfast!
You know spring is getting near when its time for the Troop 12 pancake breakfast!
Tickets can be purchased at the door for $10 for adults, $7 for seniors, and $5 for children under 12. Kids under four years old and Cub Scouts in uniform are free.
Funds raised from the breakfast will support Troop 12’s activities, including camping trips, leadership development programs, and community service projects throughout the year.
The Civic Week Ahead
Monday, March 3
Tuesday, March 4
7:00pm: Community Development Committee Agenda
Wednesday, March 5
Thursday, March 6
In Closing…
For those marking Ash Wednesday this week, may this Lenten season be a time of introspection and renewal.
Unless there is major news, there will be no newsletter next week. I am taking a much overdue vacation.
See you in two weeks.
Believe in Framingham,
