Politics & Government
Planning Board Hears Request for More Spots at Train Station Parking Lot
Mansfield Parking LLC at 75 Chauncy St. is hoping to add 194 spaces to their license.
MANSFIELD, MA — A train station parking lot is seeking to add 194 spots to their lots, but according to the proposal, they’re not really adding the spots.
The planning board and the public got the chance Wednesday night to look at the proposal at the lot on 75 Chauncy St. Attorney Edward Valanzola told the board that the owners, Robert and George Turner of Mansfield Parking LLC, are hoping to use the extra spots while they develop the property. The new spots will be located at the former site of the Cleveland Twist Drill.
Currently, the lot is licensed for under 200 spots.
Find out what's happening in Mansfieldfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
“We see this as taking a lot off the overflow once we start moving forward, we need that flexibility,” Vanazola said. “It's wasn't my client's intention to buy a parking lot.”
Vanazola and his clients said they haven't determined what type of development would go on the site. Currently, only parking lots are in the area. Residents in attendance were worried at the prospect of additional spaces that could cause more congestion during the evening commute.
Find out what's happening in Mansfieldfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
The comments from the public were consistent. They mostly came from residents who lived on Highland Avenue, Draper Avenue, Allen Street, and River Street, and they were all worried about the traffic, the speed of the vehicles, and the prospect of more cars in their neighborhood.
The lot’s flooding issues during rain storms was also brought up.
Planning board Chairman Tom French proposed a plan where instead of giving the parking lot more spaces, there would be a one-for-one trade where spots would be moved to the adjacent property when needed.
No vote was taken, with board members wanting to see more information and a project timeline before considering the additional spots.
“You got a lot to think about already. You got to talk to the town engineer about the drainage issue. You have to think about what the neighbors said about 194 spaces on a temporary basis,” French said.
The board will revisit the issue on Feb. 8.
Image via Google Maps
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.
