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To the editor:
Ipswich Citizens for Sustainable Growth (ICSG) has spent more than eight years fighting to protect Ipswich from inappropriate overdevelopment on the Bruni property on Essex Road and to defend our water supply, infrastructure, environment, and town character.
Now, AvalonBay continues pushing the proposed massive 214-unit Essex Road 40B project that would override local zoning, environmental protections, and years of community planning.
Ipswich needs meaningful affordable housing, and we support its creation. But this proposal is the wrong project in the wrong location. Of the 214 units, only 54 qualify as affordable, while the impacts on water, traffic, schools, public safety, roads, and neighborhoods would affect the entire town.
The Ipswich River basin is classified by the DEP at Level 5 — maximum depletion — and our water allocation cannot be increased. Two Massachusetts courts have found the current allocation was issued illegally, and the EPA has confirmed withdrawals exceed safe yield almost every year. Ipswich remains in near-constant water emergency conditions, even outside drought periods. In 2025, clam flats were permanently closed because of insufficient freshwater dilution. Any water needed for 214 new units would have to come from reducing existing town use.
Town officials have repeatedly raised serious concerns. The Select Board strongly opposed the project because of its permanent impacts on water, traffic, and neighborhoods. The Water Subcommittee urged the project be significantly reduced because of severe water supply limitations. Police Chief Paul Nikas warned the development would “cripple current staffing levels” and reduce services town-wide.
Despite these warnings, AvalonBay continues to push forward and is now attempting to require citizens to post a $750,000 bond simply to continue a legal appeal.
This is a critical moment for Ipswich. If citizens lose the ability to defend their town in court, large outside developers will continue overriding local protections and community planning.
Our legal appeal is one of the last remaining tools available to challenge this project and protect Ipswich’s future, but we urgently need public support to continue.
Throughout June, renowned Ipswich photographer Dorothy Monnelly has generously donated photographs to benefit ICSG’s legal efforts. Her work, recently exhibited alongside Ansel Adams at the San Jose Museum, will be displayed at the First Church Meeting House, along with an online silent auction.
An ICSG informational meeting will be held June 25 at Gathr, 41 Market Street, Ipswich.
Donations can be made at: gofundme.com/f/ipswich-citizens-for-sustainable-growth.
To join the mailing list, email IpswichCitizens@gmail.com.
Robert Spurrier
Ipswich
