Selectmen Ask Developers For More Details

Selectmen asked two developers, whose respective plans would beautify Linden Street and bring a new restaurant/housing development to Rte. 9, to iron out some details Monday.

First up was Federal Realty Investment Trust's plan to beautify Linden Square, which Michael Kelleher, director of asset management for Federal Realty, said was a little too stark. "We've got to soften this place up, make it more approachable," Kelleher said.

Kelleher turned the presentation over to Rob Adams of the Halvorson Design Partnership, who detailed plans for planting street trees along the office park's sidewalks, as well as a median with street trees and an obelisk. The aim of the changes, Kelleher said, was to make the area safe and comfortable, encourage community participation and use of the space and make it more visually appealing.

The plan, Executive Director Hans Larsen informed selectmen, has already been to the Design Review Board and the Zoning Board of Appeals, and was reviewed by Police Chief Terrence Cunningham and Fire Chief Richard DeLorie. Consultation with Cunningham and DeLorie was a condition of the ZBA's approval of the plan, Larsen said.

Both chiefs, Larsen reported, considered the trees planned for the center traffic island a traffic hazard.

Kelleher said that upon discussion with the chiefs, they had decided to take the center trees out of the plan. He asked selectmen to approve the plan with the condition that he continue to discuss changes to the center island with both chiefs. The board unanimously approved the plan as requested.

"I think all the citizens will agree with you that this needs more softening," said Selectman Barbara Searle.

Next, selectmen considered new information on the common victualer's license application of Dean Behrend for a proposed 178-seat restaurant at 978 Worcester St. Selectmen are scheduled to formally decide on the common victualer's license and a liquor license for all alcohol for the planned restaurant on Aug. 2

The restaurant would be part of a combined restaurant/housing development Beherend plans for the site. The housing part of the plan calls for 36 single and two-bedroom units, the residents of which would share parking at the site.

Selectmen asked several questions about the shared parking plan, which involved allowing employees of the restaurant to use 21 spaces at Lee Volvo on Rte. 9 at 962 Worcester St., using a key to access the fenced lot after hours. The plan also assigns one parking space per housing unit until after 11 p.m., when residential parking would double to 66.

Selectman Ellen Gibbs asked if the one parking space per unit would be the case even for the two-bedroom units. "That meets the zoning requirements," said Attorney Larry Shind, who spoke to the board on behalf of Beherend, seated next to him.

Selectman Chairman Gig Babson expressed frustration with the parking plan, which she noted had changed from what Beherend had said in a previous meeting would include assigned, numbered parking for the residents of the project. "The numbers change every single time," Babson said. She said she expected Shind and Beherend to return with answers to selectmen's questions about parking at the site.

"I would like to know, directly, the question," said Shind.

"I think that the selectmen's questions throughout have indicated that there are some very serious questions that the selectmen have with the shared parking plan," Babson said, "I think we're giving you lots of heads-up."

Today, Shind said he expected to be able to provide the details selectmen were asking for after consulting with the project's traffic engineer, Jeffrey Dirk of Vanasse & Associates, Inc. Specifically, he said he expects to provide more information about the number of parking spaces, their location and the agreement with Lee Volvo about the off-site parking. He said he will present the new information at the Aug. 2 meeting, when the board will consider the common victualer's license and the alcohol license for the restaurant.