National Development has once again submitted an article for the spring Town Meeting Warrant to amend the zoning by-laws to approve a movie theater at Market Street.
Below is a summary of the history of National Development’s continuous attempts to have the town change its by-laws to allow a theater at Market Street.
2007 — National Development planned to include a cinema as part of the Market Street (it was then known as Meadow Walk). To secure passage of zoning by-law, National Development agreed to withdraw a cinema as part of the zoning change and the town voted in favor of the zoning change without a cinema.
2008 — Just 510 days after the zoning change for Market Street was approved, National Development came back and asked the town to vote for a 38,000 square foot cinema with 360 seats. The town rejected it.
2013 — National Development again came back to the town and requested 1,000 to 1,200 seat multiplex before withdrawing the request in the face of opposition from residents.
2017 — National Development explores an 800-seat cinema only to again withdraw its request.
2019 — National Development submits a spring Town Meeting proposal.
I attended a public forum held by the Market Street Advisory Committee last year to provide comments on a proposed theater. The overwhelming majority of the residents who attended this public meeting spoke out against the proposal.
The most common concerns cited were the traffic that an 800-seat theater will add to existing traffic and increases in motor vehicle accidents. The committee recommended several traffic mitigation measures, including installing Adaptive Signal Technology, creating a dedicated right turn lane from Walnut Street into Market Street, and creating a dedicated right turn lane from I-95 (Exit 43) to Walnut Street.
In its final report, the Market Street Advisory Committee did not endorse the proposed theater.
Incredibly, National Development informed the town that it will only implement these recommended traffic mitigation measures in exchange for the town’s approval of a theater.
In other words, National Development has resorted to holding these recommended traffic improvements hostage unless the town approves a theater.
The town should, once again, reject this proposed 800-seat theater with movies running seven days a week, all day and late into the evening.
Let’s hope this time no really does mean no.
Stephanie Hines
Lynnfield
