OPINION
LETTER Whipple Hill should stay green May 28, 2013 To the editor: As a resident of Danvers, I am very concerned about proposed changes to Whipple Hill. The land, which is owned by St. Mary of the Annunciation Church, abuts my neighborhood on Bayberry Road. Its sale to a private developer and the consequent construction of 15 to 17 new homes would negatively impact the aesthetics of the area and property values. The entire community would be impacted as well. Construction of so many homes will place additional burdens on the town’s finances, and the real estate taxes paid by the new residents would do little to cover these costs. Educating one child in Danvers schools, for example, costs $12,590 per year. For students attending North Shore Tech, the per pupil expenditure is approximately twice as much. Of equal concern are the effects on the environment. Trees protect our property as well as our health. Obliterating them would diminish air quality, make the area even more susceptible to flooding, and adversely impact the wildlife and flora that flourish in the area. Additional homes would also increase traffic congestion along Route 62. The traffic problem continues to grow and will get noticeably worse with the opening of the merged Essex Aggie/North Shore Tech and the planned, 300-student St. John’s Prep middle school. We must conserve the limited open space left in our community. Whipple Hill should stay green.