The Harvard committee studying options for the future governance of Devens proposed this week that the town resume jurisdiction of the 2,664 acres of Devens land that lie within Harvard’s historical boundaries, but that some boundaries be changed so the entire residential community there would be part of the town of Harvard
That declaration is one of several in a three-page Harvard-Devens Jurisdiction Committee vision statement made public April 26 that describes how Devens might be governed once MassDevelopment finishes its work. The document—named the Harvard-Devens Jurisdiction Committee Plan Summary—was approved unanimously by the committee’s nine members at their April 7 meeting. It’s the first written statement of intent by any of the five stakeholders—Harvard, Ayer, Shirley, the Devens Enterprise Commission, or MassDevelopment—who are required by state law to come together and present a comprehensive plan to the Legislature by 2033.
HDJC Chair Victor Normand told the Press that the committee chose to release a summary of its favored approach to disposition so other stakeholders would be encouraged to do the same—specifically the members of the Devens Jurisdiction Framework Committee who remain after the departure of MassDevelopment. “The purpose is to start a discussion,” said Harvard-Devens Jurisdiction Committee clerk Paul Green. “We encourage the other parties to the DJFC to draft similar memos.”
The document has not been reviewed by the Select Board but will be presented at a future meeting. Its contents are likely to be a topic at the next meeting of the Devens framework committee on May 11.
Homeowners preferences considered
In proposing that all Devens residents become part of the Harvard community, committee members say they are reflecting the preference of current Devens homeowners, the majority of whom already live within the historical boundaries of Harvard. Committee members Heather Knowles and George Glazier, both of Devens, have said repeatedly that residents there see themselves as a community and don’t want to be divided among the three towns.
But the cost of resuming governance of those households as well as the provision of services to major businesses such as Bristol Myers Squibb pharmaceutical and Jabil plastics is not yet understood, nor is the impact on local taxes and the town’s finances. The Harvard report says a thorough analysis by consultants with experience in municipal finance will be essential to development of a final plan. Harvard, Ayer, and Shirley had been hoping that MassDevelopment would pay for such a study, but the agency’s withdrawal from the Devens Jurisdiction Framework Committee two weeks ago threatens that source. (See story on page 1.)
The Harvard jurisdiction committee report acknowledges that the historical boundary between Ayer and Harvard would need to be adjusted by the Legislature if Harvard were to incorporate the approximately 40 housing units on Bates and Auman streets within the town of Ayer. Should Vicksburg Square be zoned for residential development with as many as 300 additional residential units, the boundary that intersects that property would have to be adjusted as well. Presumably Shirley would assume jurisdiction of the 58 units of senior housing at Shirley Meadows, though the report makes no mention of that.
With the redrawing of boundaries and the assumption of governance, Harvard would become responsible for providing all municipal services to both businesses and residents within its boundaries, including education, police, fire, and all the usual functions of town government. The committee proposes that could be accomplished by expanding staff within existing Harvard departments, contracting with third parties, or regionalizing specific services with other communities.
But the report says “no changes are contemplated” to the reuse plan and zoning bylaws that were approved by the towns in 1994, and which govern the commercial and residential development of Devens. Nor would Harvard change the role of the Devens Enterprise Commission, which regulates that development, or to its unified, “one-stop” permitting process that has proven such an attraction to industry. Commission members would no longer be appointed by the governor, however; new members would be appointed by the towns as existing terms expired.
Other changes proposed by the summary plan include the creation of a “super utility” to provide electric power, gas, water, wastewater and stormwater service, governed by an independent utility commission that would replace the MassDevelopment board of directors. The plan notes that Harvard would need to maintain existing agreements with the U.S. Army, Environmental Protection Agency, and state agencies to remove toxic waste from Devens land and protect what’s been cleaned up.
In February 2018, the Select Board charged the Harvard-Devens Jurisdiction Committee with preparing a plan for disposition of the land at Devens that formerly belonged to Harvard. This week’s summary is a first step, but enunciates the parochial interest of the town of Harvard. A final plan, due in 2033, requires the agreement of Harvard, Ayer, Shirley, the Devens Enterprise Commission, and MassDevelopment. The purpose of this week’s vision statement is to spark discussion within Harvard, and to nudge other stakeholders to make their interests clear.
