Members of the Spectacle Pond Association have been following the proposal of the Guilford Rail System of an Auto Unloading Facility in what is known as the "Golden Triangle" at the SouthWest side of Spectacle Pond.
Guilford brought their proposal before the Ayer Planning Board 2 1/2 years ago, and there have been numerous Ayer Planning Board meetings in which this proposal has been discussed. This culminated in the approval of the Guilford proposal with 36 conditions by the Planning Board. Members of the SPA attended meetings, wrote up issues that were concerns of pond residents, and were active in making sure the issues were known to the Ayer Planning Board.
A public hearing on the Guilford proposal was held by the Ayer Board of Health in September to ensure that this is not a noisesome trade. This meeting is continued to October 20, 1999. The first meeting was seen on cable TV and has been aired a number of times. Resident concerns include impact on water quality, water quantity, rail and truck traffic and traffic safety, noise and air pollution, and emergency access concerns. Also, plans for 24x7 operation could change the character of the pond.