WESTON VOTERS: PLEASE VOTE at TOWN MEETING, Wednesday MAY 14,

7:30 P.M., WESTON HIGH SCHOOL AUDITORIUM

• The Josiah Smith Tavern/Old Library Committee, appointed by the Selectmen, will be presenting a plan, at the second night of Town Meeting on Wednesday, May 14, to renovate the old library and the Josiah Smith Tavern. The tavern would be renovated into a restaurant of up to 200 seats, including a space for functions.

• The current proposal calls for razing and leveling much of the beautiful open space lot, located between the tavern and the church, in order to install a commercial septic system (for 10,000 gallons effluent/day as required by state law) and a 43-space parking lot (just reduced this week from 50), required by Weston law.

• The current plan calls for two new driveways to service the parking lot, one for entering the lot on the tavern side of the land, and one for exiting the lot, very close to the church.

• The sewage field of the commercial septic system would be located 16 feet from the property line (not 10 feet from the church as was previously stated), while the parking lot, on top of the sewage system, would be 10 feet from the property line (not 8 feet from the church as was previously stated).

• You have the opportunity to hear all about the proposal, participate in the discussion and VOTE on the two articles, on May 14, relating to the tavern:
• Article 21: which asks us to approve the appropriation of $750,000 of Community Preservation Act funds for design fees to finalize the preliminary drawings for the project.
• Article 22: which sets in motion the process for the town to obtain a full liquor license for the restaurant.

• A “yes” vote to both articles will move the project forward and will most likely mean that a parking lot and a large septic system will be installed adjacent to the church. A “no” vote to either article will likely halt the project from moving forward for now.

• The Parish Pastoral Council (PPC) has indicated, in a letter to the JST/OL Committee and copied to the selectmen, its opposition to the proposed parking lot and septic system adjacent to the church. The PPC is concerned that the intensity of use will interfere with our ability to worship and to conduct other liturgical activities.

We, the members of the PPC, urge you to attend Town Meeting on May 14 and vote on these important articles which may well impact not only our church, but our town center, as well. For more details about the project, please see the JST/OL update at www.weston.org, or see the window display at Cambridge Trust Bank in Weston Center.  Thank you,

Fr. George Evans (Chair), Susan Bayard, Sr. Marie Labolitta, Jean Pelletier, Sr. Mary Ann Doyle,

Win Baylies, Chantal Buchanan (Vice-Chair), Marije Bursaw, Martin Dermady, Kelly Dunn,

Michael Glynn, Christie Hedges, Michael Heinecke, Ray Helfer, Anna Pollock

Corrected 5/8/08