As money woes mount, some try to split house lots

James Foye interviewed for a seat on the town's Zoning Board of Appeals last week, and told selectmen about a difficult decision the board's members had to make recently.

[Okay]

"When you've got a long, narrow driveway there's not a lot of room to turn an ambulance or firetruck around". Please don't print this foolish excuse. Many homes have long narrow driveways, and I believe most, if not all of the firetrucks and ambulances have reverse so they can back out. It's just snob zoning and a way to keep people who are not friends and family from subdividing. An acre of land for one house when most are on 10,000. sq ft if not less.

[resident]

I agree with the previous post. It looks foolish and sneaky to make up bogus excuses and feign concern for these residents. I laughed when I read the ambulance statement also. Gee, it's a wonder that any city dwellers in this country are still alive if that's the case.
The Board of Appeals should just cut the crap and tell people why they're really denying split lots: "This is Billerica, it's a suburb, people will be hysterical if dense housing goes in. Sorry".
Yeah that pretty much sucks for the homeowners looking to subdivide but that's what to expect in a town like that.

[Good ole boye]

Preserving the character of Billerica..... boooaahhhhh haaaaa haaaaa!

[Padawan]

The time for strict zoning was in the 50's when such restrictions would have had a positive result which would have resulted in a much nicer town today. To try and get too strict today seems futile.