Barry outlined the steps taken after the town announced April 23 that Arlington Fire Department is notifying all town residents -- in particular, the homeowners and abutters of the former Symmes property -- that blasting at the project was expected to begin the week of April 28. Since late March, JPI construction and Maine Drilling and Blasting have attempted to notify all required abutters in the blast zone. 

According to information released by the town, all homeowners have had the opportunity to have a preblast survey of their homes.

The town says that no fewer than three attempts have been made to notify homeowners including letters from JPI, certified letters from Maine Drilling and Blasting, and hand-delivered fliers to the property.

Both companies have been keeping the town up-to-date and working with neighborhood liaisons.

Although the required abutters have been notified, the Fire Department would like to make all neighbors aware that the blasting will begin soon.

Any noise or vibration from the blast should be minimal but will be heard beyond the project area.

Before all blasts, signs will be posted in the area, and a warning horn will sound minutes before a blast as well as after a blast is complete.

On days that blasting is being performed a Fire Department officer will be on scene to oversee the operations. The blasting company has provided all necessary paperwork to the Fire Prevention Division and says it will adhere to state regulations.

If you should have any questions please contact the AFD Fire Prevention Division at 781-316-3803.

You can read Symmes construction progress online at symmesconstruction.com.

In an e-mail, Barry wrote:

 "Yes, the Symmes neighbors have been very well informed.  JPI went well beyond their legal obligation to make sure that homes were surveyed — even to the point of having their employees hand deliver notices to those households that had not been surveyed.

"And they sent me a list of names that I e-mailed to the neighborhood Yahoo group to get neighbors to help other neighbors get their homes surveyed. 

"The [DTR (designated town representative Kevin Nigro) will be meeting weekly with JPI and giving me (SNAC) weekly updates with information about upcoming blasting and rock crushing as well as feedback from the noise, dust, and ground vibration monitoring. 

"If there is a neighbor who is not informed, at this point it is not from lack of trying through email, direct mail, phone calls, hand delivered notices, and outreach from other neighbors.

"So while all houses have not been surveyed, it is not due to any lack of notice or effort.  In addition, I emailed the neighbor list regarding the town notice, in case some people don’t get those town notices (if you’re not on the Arlington list, you don’t see them).  And JPI will hang red signs outside the site on blasting days.

"Though it’s the rock crushing activity more than the blasting that will be disruptive to neighbors — the noise from that is really horrible.

Asked about the timeliness of minutes -- the latest posted are from February -- Barry wrote:

 "Regarding SNAC minutes, they are only posted once they have been approved at the next meeting. The March 3 minutes should be posted. 

"I’ll check on that later today when I have a chance. The minutes from the late March meeting have yet to be approved, and so aren’t posted yet.  In addition, I’m having the DTR reports and the communication log posted when I get them.  I’ll check on how up to date those are as well."

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