ROCKLAND - October 7 - New England Development representatives told the Rockland Select Board that no residential or commercial development can occur within Rockland’s portion of the Union Point base without a water supply solution, potentially delaying tax revenue for years and forcing all Phase 1 development into Weymouth.
The Full Story
John Twohig and Paul Cincotta of New England Development and Brookfield Partners delivered their most detailed progress report yet on the long-delayed Union Point redevelopment project, outlining an ambitious timeline but acknowledging a critical infrastructure barrier that threatens to exclude Rockland from early development benefits.
The developers reported receiving state approval for 13 million square feet of development including approximately 6,000 new homes and 2 million square feet of commercial space across the 1,400-acre former South Weymouth Naval Air Station. They also secured a $35 million state grant for infrastructure improvements, with a significant portion designated for the Hingham Street corridor intersection in Rockland.
However, Twohig delivered sobering news for Rockland: “Absolutely none” of the Phase 1 development—which includes interest for over 2,000 residential units and 600,000 square feet of commercial space—can occur within Rockland’s borders due to the lack of water and sewer capacity. “Phase 1 will look in really the Weymouth area,” Twohig confirmed.
The water problem has become acute. While Weymouth has an agreement for 450,000 gallons from their system, and the MWRA connection is planned, that regional water infrastructure is estimated to be six to seven years away. Select Board Vice Chair Lori Childs pressed the developers on grocery store prospects, to which Twohig responded frankly: sophisticated commercial operators “know that Rockland really doesn’t have water and sewer. And so it is a shame that we can’t find a way to be able to market parts of Rockland.”
Twohig warned that commercial retailers have “opened to buy for a period of time. If you can’t deliver, that’s fine. They’re just going to go somewhere else.” One potential grocer employs 6,800 people, he noted, representing substantial job opportunities.
The developers offered a potential interim solution: funding approximately $300,000 in studies for the Abington-Rockland Joint Water Works to assess capacity improvements, including work on the offline Myers Avenue wells and permitting opportunities following recent sewer work. They’ve also proposed actually paying for identified improvements to create additional system capacity.
Under this arrangement, New England Development would reserve some of the created capacity for base development, then return that water allocation to Rockland and Abington when the MWRA connection is completed years later. “We don’t want to be charged another fee for that opportunity,” Twohig emphasized.
Select Board Chair Mike O’Loughlin expressed frustration at the situation while supporting the developers’ efforts: “I’d just love to see at some point shoveling ground in Rockland. I know you guys are doing your due diligence.” Twohig responded: “I think this base today is closer to becoming a reality than it has in a long, long time.”
The $35 million state grant represents a major breakthrough. Twohig explained that while technically administered through Weymouth, the grant can fund work in all three towns. The largest single project would be the Hingham Street corridor—an $8 to $8.5 million undertaking that would reconfigure the intersection where Route 228 meets the base, redirecting through-traffic away from residential neighborhoods and into the industrial area.
The developers’ timeline calls for beginning on-site infrastructure work in 2026, with first occupancies possible by late 2027. However, Twohig was direct about the chicken-and-egg problem facing commercial tenants: “A lot of people don’t believe this base is ever going to happen,” noting that retailers want to see actual construction before committing.
The presentation revealed strong interest in senior housing for the former Coast Guard site—housing for residents who “love the community, they want to stay in Rockland, but there isn’t a place really for them to go”—as well as multifamily development near the rail station and commercial development near the Route 3/Route 228 entrance.
New England Development has spent the past year navigating state approvals, including 369 days in the MEPA process studying 75 intersections and planning work at 53 of them. They’ve also worked with the SRA to amend regulations and are awaiting amended state legislation to remove references to the previous developer LSTAR.
The project includes 885 acres of protected open space, primarily turtle and bird habitat. Twohig noted that the base contains “the second-largest density of Eastern Bucks Turtles in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.”
For fiscal planning purposes, the developers had previously estimated Rockland could see approximately 800 residential units and substantial commercial development long-term, generating an estimated $4.8 million annually in net tax revenue after expenses. However, those projections assumed the availability of water and sewer infrastructure.
In other significant business, Town Treasurer Allison Sullivan successfully secured Select Board approval for rolling over $1.5 million in sewer bond anticipation notes at favorable rates, with Fidelity Capital Markets offering par value plus an $18,195 premium. The treasurer also announced hiring a new assistant treasurer, fully staffing that office.
Interim Sewer Superintendent Dave Taylor delivered an exhaustive update spanning nearly two hours, covering both sewer and highway operations. Taylor reported completing the September 30th administrative order submittal to the EPA—the culmination of months of work to bring reporting into compliance after years of deficiencies. The relationship with the EPA appears stable, with no imminent fines as long as the town continues meeting deadlines.
Taylor outlined the $22 million wastewater treatment plant upgrade moving forward with owner project manager DPC, with weekly coordination meetings and preliminary design at 30% completion. The town is also refunding escrow accounts previously defaulted on by the prior developer LSTAR.
However, Taylor revealed troubling issues with a previous generator replacement project at the sewer plant. The project, managed before his tenure, involved purchasing a $280,000 generator separately from the installation contract—then storing it outside for six to eight months before installation. Mice infestation damaged electrical components, ultimately driving the project nearly $200,000 over budget after extensive negotiations about responsibility.
On the highway side, Taylor detailed an ambitious slate of projects leveraging multiple funding sources. The department is paving Turner Road, French Road, French Ave, Townsend Way, and Old Country Way using funds negotiated from National Grid remediation—a strategy Taylor implemented to maximize value. By waiting for trenches to settle and negotiating for full road overlays instead of patching, the town gets substantially more pavement for the money.
Taylor explained that National Grid subcontractors charge approximately $250 per ton for paving, while the town procures at just under $100 per ton. “If they might do half of a road, we could do a full road,” Taylor noted.
The North Avenue project will be a three-year undertaking combining a $500,000 Complete Streets grant with Chapter 90 funds and town articles, running from the Abington line to Union Street. The project will include all existing sidewalk replacement, with Taylor noting the department does approximately one-third of the work in-house to extend funding and save roughly one-third of costs.
Other projects include Concord Street sidewalk work negotiated with the 365 Concord Meadows developer, multiple drainage improvement projects, and completion of the William N. Mullen Memorial Park dedication scheduled for October 18th at 3 p.m.
Recreation Director Jeanne Blaney reported record participation in summer programs, with approximately 144 chipmunk program registrations, 856 for explorers (elementary age), and 296 for teens—hitting capacity limits determined by toilet and shelter regulations. About 30 families remained on waiting lists throughout the summer.
Blaney announced the teen center is again at capacity with over 1,100 registrations averaging 50 children per night, but the department lost two staff members and urgently needs three additional adults (18+ with high school diploma) to expand capacity. Adult programming saw strong participation, with pickleball leading at over 1,200 registrations.
The fall festival drew an estimated 4,000 to 5,000 attendees, with Blaney thanking multiple town departments and corporate sponsors including Mountain One, Sullivan Tire, Briggs Engineering, and others.
In a public safety initiative, Blaney announced plans to install AED units in all town parks within the next month, coordinated with Fire Chief Duffy. The installations will also include Narcan and Stop the Bleed kits, addressing potential overdoses and traumatic injuries.
Veterans Agent Tim White delivered disappointing news about the end of the long-running Tri-Town Veterans Day Parade. After decades of tradition, the parade format will be replaced by a community celebration at the Whitman VFW on Sunday, November 9th from noon to 3 p.m., featuring a cookout, bouncy houses, music, and presentations including the Whitman-Hanson High School band.
White explained that veterans in local organizations, averaging about 80 years old and in poor health, can no longer organize the parade, and younger veterans have shown little interest in taking over, with most working on Veterans Day. The celebration represents an attempt to create a new tradition focused on outreach and connecting with younger families.
Select Board Chair O’Loughlin expressed disappointment: “It’s disheartening that it’s ending after all these years of being running,” noting the importance of parades as teachable moments for children about military sacrifice. However, he supported the Tri-Town cooperation continuing in a new format.
Town Administrator Doug Lapp provided a sobering health insurance cost forecast, reporting that a recent MMA regional meeting projected potentially 15% premium increases statewide for next year, driven primarily by expensive GLP-1 pharmaceutical costs and increasing numbers of complex hospital admissions. The town will explore adjusting co-pays, deductibles, and potentially adding a high-deductible plan option to help manage costs within Proposition 2.5 constraints.
In more positive news, Lapp announced that the Phelps Elementary School rooftop solar project, delayed for two years by National Grid engineering discussions, has received final approval. The economics actually improved during the delay, with the town now paying only about 5 cents per kilowatt hour through a power purchase agreement, saving an estimated $50,000 to $80,000 annually. The installation won’t require roof penetrations since panels will simply rest on the flat roof.
Lapp also provided an updated timeline for the fire station building project. The owner’s project manager contract should be executed in early November, with the architect contracted simultaneously. Following Zoning Board of Appeals and Planning Board approvals by February 2026, final design documents are targeted for mid-to-late April 2026. Bidding documents would be ready by end of August 2026, with contractor selection by end of October 2026, and construction beginning November 2026. Substantial completion is projected for January-February 2028.
In the most moving moment of the meeting, Lapp announced that seven Rockland firefighters will be honored for outstanding acts of heroism at the 36th Annual Firefighter of the Year Award Ceremony on November 25th in Worcester. Captain Jason Fricker, Thomas Henderson, Liam O’Flaherty, Marc Oshry, Robert Creighton, Kyle Costa, and Reid Broderick responded to a house fire on June 21, 2024, where they rescued an elderly male and located an elderly female in zero-visibility conditions with floor-to-ceiling black smoke and intense fire.
Reading from Chief Duffey’s submission, Lapp described how Firefighter Henderson immediately entered the smoke-filled home to carry out the elderly male, while Captain Fricker and his team conducted searches in extremely dangerous conditions without initial hose line protection. Despite their heroic efforts, the elderly female victim did not survive. The Chief attributed the successful rescue operations to years of intensive training and leadership.
Select Board Member Steve O’Donnell delivered an impassioned statement about civic courage and constitutional rights, citing recent national events including apartment raids in Chicago, flag burning executive orders, and alleged violations of the Posse Comitatus Act. O’Donnell invoked his campaign slogan “Your Voice for Rockland” and urged residents to stay engaged locally: “Think globally, act locally... We can make the greatest impacts in our own village.”
O’Donnell called for more volunteer participation in boards, committees, and nonprofit organizations, echoing former Rockland educator Mrs. Patton (formerly Miss Rice): “Rage against those that would silence you. Don’t let it just be those senior citizens that remember what it was like before we were heard.”
Why It Matters
The Union Point water infrastructure crisis means Rockland residents may wait six to seven years before seeing any tax revenue or economic development from the base redevelopment, despite having voted to support the project. Without an interim water solution, all early development—including potentially a grocery store, major retailers, fitness facilities, and hundreds of jobs—will be located in Weymouth. The developers’ offer to fund water system studies and improvements represents Rockland’s best opportunity to participate in Phase 1 development and begin generating the estimated $4.8 million in annual net tax revenues that could help manage rising costs like health insurance premiums. For a community that has waited over two decades for base redevelopment, the prospect of waiting another decade for benefits within Rockland’s borders represents a critical challenge requiring immediate action on water infrastructure solutions.
Meeting Minutes
Key Motions & Votes
Motion: Approve Select Board minutes from September 16, 2025, with correction changing “effortlessly” to “tirelessly” on page 2 regarding Chief Duffey’s work. Outcome: Approved. Vote: Unanimous. (Timestamp: 00:09:19)
Motion: Approve sale of $1.5 million 4% general obligation bond anticipation notes for sewer improvements to Fidelity Capital Markets at par plus $18,195 premium, with associated compliance procedures. Outcome: Approved. Vote: Unanimous. (Timestamp: 00:53:23)
Motion: Authorize sewer superintendent to file with Mass Clean Water Trust (State Revolving Fund) for favorable borrowing terms. Outcome: Approved. Vote: Unanimous. (Timestamp: 00:55:17)
Motion: Enter executive session to discuss strategy regarding pending litigation (Falco v. Rockland public records case) and to review executive session minutes from 9-16-2025, not to reconvene in open session. Outcome: Approved. Vote: Unanimous by roll call. (Timestamp: 02:41:16)
Public Comment
No formal public comment period was held during this meeting. The meeting consisted primarily of presentations and updates from department heads and the Union Point developer representatives.
What’s Next
New England Development will continue negotiations with Abington-Rockland Joint Water Works about funding water system studies and improvements to enable Phase 1 development in Rockland. The sewer department will submit its semi-annual compliance report to EPA by November 1st. The William N. Mullen Memorial Park dedication ceremony will take place Saturday, October 18th at 3 p.m. at Water and Union Streets. The Fire Department Annual Appreciation Day will be held Saturday, October 25th at 8 a.m. at the fire station. The Tri-Town Veterans Day celebration will take place Sunday, November 9th from noon to 3 p.m. at the Whitman VFW. The Community Preservation Committee will hold its annual public outreach meeting October 10th at 1 p.m. at the Senior Center. Town offices will be closed Monday, October 14th for Columbus Day. The firefighter award ceremony recognizing seven Rockland firefighters will be held Tuesday, November 25th in Worcester.
Full meeting available via WRPS at youtube.com/WRPSRockland.