New England Sheets planned expansion to Westminster approved. What we know about the project
Editor's Note: Due to a reporter's error, a source's next steps were incorrectly reported and have been removed from this story.
WESTMINSTER — Despite the vocal protests of several Westminster residents, the Planning Board approved a cardboard construction assembly facility to be located at the town’s industrial park.
Officials stated that the project has been approved by right, under the strictest of conditions, and that to disapprove such a project could open the town up to the possibility of a lawsuit. Further, the zoning for the facility has been in place since 1974, and this project falls within the purview of the zoning bylaw.
New England Sheets in Devens, MA filed a site plan on June 30, 2022, to the Planning Board to expand its operations into the town's business park on Theodore Dr. The cardboard manufacturer has outgrown its Devens facility and needs more space to continue with product demand.
About the project
NES bought a 44.5-acre lot in Westminster Business Park on Theodore Dr. The land will be used to construct a 382,000 sq. ft. warehouse facility with office space, along with 67 loading docks, 55 trailer spaces, 138 parking spaces and 211 reserved parking spaces.
Planning Board Chairman, Gregg Buckman said the facility will be using premade cardboard, and water and steam to assemble the boxes.
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Residents' opposition
Several Westminster residents have expressed their concerns about NES building a facility in town. NES is managed by Schwarz Partners, who also manages dozens of other corrugated sheets manufacturers across the country. Schwartz Partners facilities have had a history of polluting neighboring communities in other states.
Dr. Anne Lutz has been a leading voice of the opposition. Lutz said the groups' biggest concern with the project is the uncertainty if NES will pollute the town's environment especially because of Schwarz's history with pollution in other states.
One example is the New Indy facility in Catawba, SC, one of the facilities managed by Schwarz. Over 47,000 residents in neighboring communities have complained about a foul smell for the past several years. In addition, hundreds of residents experienced a decline in their physical health that includes headaches, nausea, nose bleeds, asthma, and other chronic symptoms.
NES has refused a voluntary environmental review from Massachusetts Environmental Protection Agency. Lutz said NES denying the environmental review created more concern about how the facilities operations going to affect the community.
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The next steps
According to Katherine Lemay, Administrative Assistant for the Building Inspector, no permits have been pulled. Neither Town Planner Tracy Murphy, nor Attorney Jeffery Aveni, nor McCarty Engineer Brian Marchetti, New England Sheets' engineering firm have provided any indication of when the project will move forward.
This article originally appeared on Gardner News: New England Sheets box manufacturer expands Westminster Industrial Park
