Canton state Rep. William Galvin spun a "curveball" yesterday at the developer of the $1.5 billion Westwood Station by blocking a beer and wine permit for the grocer who wants to set up shop in the development.
"We got thrown a curveball," said state Rep. Paul McMurtry, the Dedham Democrat who has been trying to get the State House to approve the permit for Wegmans supermarket.
McMurtry had expected the House to approve the permit yesterday when state Rep. Angelo Scaccia, D-Readville, dropped his opposition to passage of a home rule petition for Wegmans.
But Galvin, D-Canton, doubted the presence of a quorum - a strategy that forces the chamber to adjourn if 81 House members are not present without passing the legislation at hand.
Galvin said he was acting on behalf of the Canton officials, who have expressed reservations about the traffic Westwood Station would generate and the ability of the roads around it to handle those vehicles.
In an interview after Galvin's move, Jay Doherty, president of Cabot, Cabot & Forbes, the developers of Westwood Station, said his company set up a regional traffic task force last year that Canton was a part of and which was lauded as a great success by Massachusetts Secretary of Transportation Bernard Cohen.
McMurtry said he was "disappointed" with what happened since everyone had expected the Wegmans bill to pass today.
"To have this happen at this point was unexpected at all levels," McMurtry said. "We had every intention of passing this bill."
Scaccia had previously held up the bill, taking up the cause of Roche Bros. supermarket in Westwood, which has argued that granting a single beer and wine license for Wegmans was unfair to other established town supermarkets.
Rick Roche, however, promised Westwood officials he would release his hold if they supported a measure to make more licenses available at next month's Special Town Meeting.
Both the Westwood Board of Selectmen and Finance Commission voted unanimously in favor of adding more licenses in the form of a new petition that was widely called a "compromise."
"Roche Bros.' concerns were addressed," McMurtry said, adding he would now look to meet with Galvin and Canton officials to discuss the issue and address their concerns.
"This is a whole different team we're playing," McMurtry said, "in extra innings."
The Dedham Democrat called Galvin's move "somewhat inappropriate" saying the House is "not the place for that type of protest the town asked him to take up."
Galvin said he didn't have any other choice and hopes his action will send a message to Station developers that Canton won't be ignored.
Cabot, Cabot & Forbes has worked with neighboring towns such as Norwood and 30 to 40 different state agencies successfully, said Doherty.
"At some point," he added, "people have to decide we're all in this together."
Galvin does not believe developers are working with his town.
"The town of Canton is at wits' end with the developers," Galvin said. "They will not address the concerns of Canton."
Galvin called the developers' practices of putting off Canton's complaints while attempting to push through permits "delay tactics."
"These things take time," said Doherty. "They don't benefit from a lot of sideshows."
Negotiations that have been ongoing between Canton and developers on Westwood Station's infrastructure have recently stalled, Galvin said.
"There's no breakdown on our side," Doherty said.
The breakdown Galvin refers to, according to Doherty, was when the town of Canton demanded a signed document regarding traffic changes.
Doherty stressed he remains open to listening to Canton's concerns.
"We've been working with them and we will continue to work with them if they want to," he said.
Doherty did question why Galvin chose to hold up a Wegmans bill to make his point.
"Ninety-five percent of the time the Home Rule petition is a lay-up," Doherty said, suggesting Galvin and others have "abused the process for their own end."
McMurtry said the bill has certainly "taken on a life of its own" over the past months.
"It's opposition to something that really shouldn't have opposition," he said.
Galvin said he held up the bill because he recognized Wegmans as a vital piece of Westwood Station.
Praising McMurtry's efforts for Westwood, Galvin said it was "very unfortunate" he had to hold up the bill, he said, adding that he had a pit in his stomach when he did so.
He hopes to sit down once again with developers and get the situation resolved as early as next week.
"I don't want to have to go in there and doubt the presence of a quorum," Galvin said. "There's a lot at stake here for everyone."
McMurtry was hopeful the bill would pass soon as well, saying "each and every day the bill is delayed there's a risk."
Waiting for formal session to resume in January and "starting at square one," he said, is "not an option."
Doherty was less concerned with waiting until the new year, explaining the holdup is "more embarrassing than anything" and will not affect Wegmans standing at Westwood Station.
"We'll just keep jumping the hurdles," he said.
