Managed growth in Hudson
The promise of commercial development to gain tax revenue is by itself not a viable solution for Hudson to sustain the quality of life that defines our town. The Green Meadow Golf Club property that is being proposed by a developer for use as a logistics center has brought into sharp focus the necessity for the Town of Hudson to make better plans for the future. In addition to the logistics center proposal, there is also a plan to build a new highway through town that was set aside half a century ago. There have been many changes in the region, let alone the world since that time, which require a much broader view of the plans for Hudson.
Several recent developments in Hudson have appeared without sufficient prior notice to the residents and that behavior must change. The new fire station across the street from a senior care facility is a questionable decision for tranquility to have sirens going off at all times of the day or night. A new commercial development adjacent to a major intersection is a questionable decision for traffic that is already a serious concern in town. A new apartment development on an overly burdened major roadway is another questionable decision with respect to the problem of traffic along that route. Two new gas stations and a new pharmacy have also appeared with little notice to the residents for input on those decisions. If there is a plan to these recent developments, the residents in Town have not been included in the decision process.
Commercial development on the banks of a major waterway was once needed for the transport of goods, but those days are long gone. We must make decisions that preserve our precious limited natural resources for Hudson as well as for other communities downstream who depend on the Merrimack River for their livelihood. The further development of a highway intended to relieve traffic in Town will do just the opposite. A new roadway will only increase commuter traffic and provide the opportunity for more commercial development. These are not plans for the benefit of Hudson or the region.
The Hillwood Company that is looking to buy the Green Meadow Golf Club in order to develop an Amazon Distribution Center in Hudson should either significantly reduce the scope of their proposal or cut their losses as the obvious conclusion is that this venture is not a good fit for Hudson. As a precedent for the sale of one of the numerous golfing parks on the banks of the Merrimack River, Hudson has an opportunity to set the course for preservation of natural resources in the future. There are many possibilities for the development of open space in Hudson and the residents should be fully involved in the process.
It comes down to the residents to pool our knowledge and work together for the benefit of all in Hudson. We decide how we want our town to look and feel. We decide how and where commercial development is allowed. We decide where roads are built and where open spaces of natural beauty are preserved for our children. We decide how to mitigate commuter traffic that eclipses our population by a factor of four on a typical week day. Traffic is a regional concern that we can choose to address by making Hudson less of a convenience for commuters rather than more.
As one example of possible sustainable development, the Town of Hudson could designate a portion of the Green Meadow Golf Club property to establish a continuing education path for our children who graduate from Alvirne High School. This college would provide three main programs of study: Urban Development, Environmental Studies and a Teaching college. The first two programs will support the decision of the residents to keep Hudson a sustainable place to live and raise a family. The third program will continue study directly from the high school as well as provide continued support for the college. All three programs create an opportunity for our children to stay in Hudson rather than move away.
The overall development of the Green Meadow Golf Club property could be designed as a self-contained community without the need for motorized transportation. This form of mixed development will create a blueprint for managed growth in Hudson, maintain the value of property and avoid the cost of industrial development in terms of quality of life. The residents of Hudson can decide what our town should be, but we need to work together and make plans. There could even be a place for e-commerce, if all sides are willing to look at the possibilities.