03/28/2026
Part 2.
If We Grow, We Need to Protect What Keeps This City Livable
If Attleboro is going to grow, then we need to be honest about something else:
Growth without protecting our natural resources is not smart growth. It’s just creating future problems.
Wetlands are not empty land. They are not wasted space. And they are not obstacles standing in the way of progress.
They are part of what protects this city.
Wetlands help absorb stormwater, reduce flooding, slow runoff, and protect the streams, brooks, and underground water systems we all depend on. They act as natural buffers, helping trap sediment and reduce the movement of pollution before it spreads further.
That matters now more than ever.
If we add more housing, more pavement, more rooftops, and more runoff, then we also increase the pressure on the natural systems already doing work for us every day — for free.
That is why stronger wetland protections are not anti-growth.
They are how growth becomes sustainable.
And let’s be clear, because this gets twisted every time: this is not a land grab.
Protecting wetlands and setting smarter rules for future development is not the same as taking someone’s property. In many cases, existing lawful uses and existing conditions are generally protected through grandfathering, while updated standards are aimed at future projects and future impacts.
That is not government overreach. That is responsible planning.
If we want Attleboro to grow the right way, then we should prioritize the land that already makes sense first:
• reuse already-disturbed land
• redevelop old industrial or commercial sites when possible
• preserve and repurpose older buildings where feasible
• reduce pressure on sensitive areas whenever we can
That is common sense.
And yes, this also connects to water quality.
Wetlands are not a magic cure for PFAS or every other contaminant. But healthy wetlands and vegetated buffer zones can help slow runoff, trap sediment, and reduce how quickly certain pollutants move across the landscape and into streams or groundwater.
That does not replace treatment, cleanup, or enforcement.
But it absolutely helps protect the system before problems get worse.
Because once contamination reaches water supplies, the cost of testing, treatment, cleanup, and long-term damage is enormous — and taxpayers often end up paying for it.
The same is true for flooding.
The same is true for drainage failures.
The same is true for bad planning.
Attleboro does need growth. But if we grow in ways that damage the natural systems protecting our water, neighborhoods, and future, then we are not solving problems — we are creating more expensive ones.
Smart growth means building where it makes sense, protecting what matters, and refusing to hand future residents the bill for mistakes we could have prevented today.
