Executive Order

Executive Order  No. 378: Establishing a planning advisory committee for converting the South Weymouth Naval Air Station to civilian use

Date: 09/20/1995
Issuer: William F. Weld
Mass Register: No. 775

Table of Contents

WHEREAS, the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission on July 1, 1995 recommended to the President the closure of the South Weymouth Naval Air Station;

WHEREAS, the closure of the South Weymouth Naval Air Station will affect the region's economy and the economies of certain communities which surround and service the needs of that military installation, especially the Towns of Abington, Rockland and Weymouth ("the Towns");

WHEREAS, the redevelopment of the South Weymouth Naval Air Station is vital to both the Commonwealth and to the Towns, and will be a complex and lengthy process involving many state, federal, municipal and private agencies during which a broad range of funding, assistance and redevelopment opportunities need to be pursued in a coordinated and effective manner:

WHEREAS, the communities that will be most affected by the closure of the South Weymouth Naval Air Station must be represented, and must be able to fully participate in any process regarding its redevelopment planning;

WHEREAS, the Towns established the Tri-Town Naval Air Station Study Committee (the "Study Committee") which has met periodically for initial discussion of options in the event of base closure:

WHEREAS, the Study Committee recommended and the Towns' Boards of Selectmen adopted a broad-based organization for reuse planning that included representatives of the Towns, of the Town of Hingham which directly abuts the base, of state and federal elected officials, and of private sector business and labor interests;

WHEREAS, the Massachusetts Government Land Bank (the "Land Bank") was created by Chapter 212 of the Acts of 1975 to coordinate and to assist in the redevelopment of military installations in Massachusetts which were closed by the Department of Defense;

WHEREAS, the Land Bank has both public and private expertise, financing authority, and substantial experience in the complex matters which must be addressed and considered with regard to the closure and redevelopment of the South Weymouth Naval Air Station; and

WHEREAS. the Study Committee and the Towns' Boards of Selectmen have requested that the Land Bank provide principal staff for the reuse planning effort and assist in its coordination.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, William F. Weld, Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, by virtue of the authority vested in me, as Supreme Executive Magistrate, do hereby order as follows:

Purpose

Section 1. A South Weymouth Naval Air Station Planning Committee ("the NAS Planning Committee") is hereby created to provide overall policy guidance for all aspects of reuse planning for the base and to oversee preparation of a master plan for the property, with the goal of converting the South Weymouth Naval Air Station to productive private and/or public uses that will increase employment opportunities, bolster the local economy, and protect the environment.

Section 2. The Massachusetts Government Land Bank ("Land Bank") as created by Chapter 212 of the Acts of 1975, as amended, is hereby designated the NAS Planning Committee's principal staff with responsibility for coordinating, in consultation with designated staff or representatives of the Towns of Abington, Rockland and Weymouth, representation of the Commonwealth and the NAS Planning Committee before agencies of the federal government with regard to all aspects involved in the closure and redevelopment of the South Weymouth Naval Air Station. The Land Bank is directed to contact appropriate federal agencies in order to ensure that the interests of the Commonwealth and the NAS Planning Committee are appropriately represented, and to promptly pursue all available funding sources.

Section 3. Nothing contained herein shall contravene the approval rights of the Towns as provided in Chapter 212 of the Acts of 1975, as amended.

Planning Committee Composition and Operations

Section 4. The NAS Planning Committee shall be composed of thirty-three (33) members appointed as follows:

  • five members from the Town of Abington, appointed by its Board of Selectmen;
  • five members from the Town of Rockland, appointed by its Board of Selectmen;
  • five members from the Town of Weymouth, appointed by its Board of Selectmen;
  • two members from the Town of Hingham, appointed by its Board of Selectmen;
  • six members appointed by the Governor from the private sector representing business and labor with proven expertise in one or more of the following areas: industrial development, housing, finance and banking, real estate law, environmental law, transportation, and real estate development;
  • four Representatives in the House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts representing the 3rd Norfolk, the 4th Norfolk, the 5th Plymouth and the 7th Plymouth Districts (ex officio);
  • two Senators in the Senate of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts representing the Norfolk and Plymouth and the Plymouth and Norfolk Senatorial Districts (ex officio);
  • two United States Senators in Congress for the Commonwealth (ex officio) who will be non-voting members;
  • the United States Representative in Congress for the Tenth Congressional District (ex officio) who will be a non-voting member; and
  • the Commanding Officer of the South Weymouth Naval Air Station (ex officio) who will be a non-voting member.

The Officers of the NAS Planning Committee shall be selected by majority vote of its members.

Duties

Section 5. The Land Bank is requested to schedule and staff NAS Planning Committee meetings and to develop a strategic resource plan using the expertise of its members.

Section 6. The NAS Planning Committee is requested to work in conjunction with the Land Bank to receive input from local community organizations, businesses and residents affected by the closure and to create, review and recommend a plan and develop a consensus for the redevelopment of the South Weymouth Naval Air Station.

Section 7. The Land Bank is requested to make sufficient funds and staff available to develop and prepare plans for reuse of the South Weymouth Naval Air Station. The Land Bank is further requested to identify all local, state and federal resources that may be available for reuse planning and redevelopment, and proceed to obtain such resources as expeditiously possible.

Section 8. The Land Bank is directed to develop a Memorandum of Understanding ("the MOU") with the Towns, detailing the various parties' roles and responsibilities, including specific provisions for reporting NAS Planning Committee progress to the host communities' Boards of Selectmen, which MOU shall be submitted for approval by the Towns' Boards of Selectmen and by the Board of Directors of the Land Bank.

Section 9. The Land Bank is directed to prepare reports for NAS Planning Committee submission to the Governor every six months on the status and progress of its efforts. Such reports may from time to time include specific recommendations and requests as approved by a vote of the NAS Planning Committee.

Given at the Executive Chamber in Boston this 20th day of September in the year of one thousand nine hundred and ninety-five.

William F. Weld, Governor
Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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