For a moment, set aside every preconceived notion of industrial-looking self storage you may have in your mind. Chain link fence, metal roll-up doors, fluorescent colors, garish lights. All gone.

Instead, imagine a building that looks like a well-designed retail/office building, fitting into our village setting: traditional doors, windows, siding, details, low lighting, historic colors, neighborhood scale. All storage loading is indoors, hidden. The building appears as 2-story with a peaked roof, like Cochituate buildings. Low traffic, low noise, low impacts. A quiet neighborhood addition.

Then add the potential** of Arts Wayland to the mix in a 3,500 sf community space, finally a new home to grow and thrive, which could bring the arts back to Cochituate at a central, walkable location, and at no cost to the Town.

Retail Self Storage zoning can accomplish all this – plus Wayland can reap more tax revenues here than Donelans/110 Grill and Starbucks plazas combined. Curious? See www.homeforartswayland.com .

Once you have the facts, and understand that retail self-storage can be attractive and environmentally progressive -- which the proposed zoning ensures -- it makes a ton of sense for Wayland to expand its commercial tax base to allow this use, which includes a new neighborhood space for all to enjoy. Let's create a new gathering spot for our community, our families, and our seniors to enjoy. And potentially for Arts Wayland to finally have a permanent home!

** [Yes, Arts Wayland would need to answer an RFP for the space, since the space will be owned by the Town, but this zoning is the important first step to create the space, and Arts Wayland is absolutely committing to support this space if it is created and they're selected.]

Please show your support by signing today and PLEASE put your STREET ADDRESS in the COMMENTS box BEFORE you click the green box to SIGN petition. If you are not a Wayland resident, feel free to sign as well, just note you are from another Town. Thank you!