Editor’s note: This story by Sandy Vondrasek first appeared in the Herald of Randolph on Feb. 17.
Jesse “Sam” Sammis is withdrawing his application for partial review of an ambitious
development on 172 acres he owns at the Exit 4 interchange in Randolph.
But, in a release issued by his attorney yesterday afternoon, Sammis reaffirmed his continuing commitment to developing a project at Exit 4.
Sammis’ Act 250 application had been pending before the District 3 Commission since April. He had requested a “partial review,” limited to the project’s impact on primary agricultural soils and on its conformance with regional and local plans.
The District 3 Commission convened a series of well-attended hearings on the project in the summer and fall.
Commissioners agreed to put their decision on Sammis’ application on hold in November, after Sammis and two nonprofit opponents to his development requested three months to privately discuss and possibly resolve their differences. The Preservation Trust of Vermont joined those talks.
“I very much appreciate all of the time, effort and expertise that the Commission put into our request for partial findings in this matter, the support of many in Randolph and throughout Vermont for our project, as well as the constructive discussions we have had with the Conservation Law Foundation, the Vermont Natural Resources Council, and the Preservation Trust of Vermont over the past 90 days,” Sammis said in the release issued by Atty. Peter Van Oot.
“I remain fully committed to a project at Exit 4 that will best serve the Town of Randolph, local business and agricultural interests, and my family,” he said. “We will now take what we have learned from all of the stakeholders and continue those discussions as we decide how to best move forward.”
Van Oot’s motion to withdraw characterized the talks between Sammis’ team and the
nonprofits as “constructive, informal, and non-adversarial.”
A separate release from the Conservation Law Foundation and Vermont Natural Resources Council stated that the environmental organizations “applaud Jesse Sammis’ decision to withdraw the application.”
“The withdrawal is good news,” said Sandra Levine, senior attorney with Conservation Law Foundation. “We applaud Mr. Sammis’s actions. Going forward, we will continue to seek opportunities to preserve the valuable resources at the project site.”
Brian Shupe, executive director of the Vermont Natural Resources Council, said his organization “remains committed to ensuring that any future development at Exit 4 complies with all applicable laws and does not undermine the economic vitality of Randolph Village.”
Both the Conservation Law Foundation and the Vermont Natural Resources Council sought party status in the Act 250 proceeding and actively participated in the Act 250 District Commission hearings last summer and fall.
Exit 4 Open Space Comment
Attorney Brooke Dingledine, who has been active in the Randolph group Exit 4 Open
Space, which opposes the Sammis project, said Wednesday that E4OS had not been included in the mediated talks. The group, she said, objected to the terms of secrecy imposed on the meeting closed-door talks.
“I think it’s unfortunate that [the commission] didn’t make the ruling on prime ag,” Dingledine said. “If the application is being withdrawn because the talks were
promising, and that results in protection of the agricultural lands and the scenic views, that would certainly be a welcome resolution from E4OS perspective,” she said.
“However, if it doesn’t result in those protections, and an application is re-filed, that would not be a good use of the time, money, and efforts that have already gone into the process.”
Sammis’ plan for the proposed Green Mountain Center Project had called for the development of approximately 274 residential units, 280,000 square feet of office space, 236,000 square feet of light manufacturing space, a visitor center (5000 square feet) and a Vermont products showcase center (40,000 square feet), a fitness center of 10,000 square feet, 25,000 square feet of accessory retail, and an 180-room hotel and conference center.
