The Planning Board approved all requested waivers for the proposed condominium project at the former site of Woodman’s Florist on Concord Street/Route 202, but did not vote on approving the proposal at a meeting on Monday night.
The Planning Board also received more public comment for the project during the meeting and summarized all comments that had been received so far. Chad Branon, the representative for EAM Holdings, explained how the project met all regulatory requirements short of the waivers.
“We’re happy to address all public comments,” he said, but said the firm needed clarification on the waiver requirements before they could do a final redesign to present for approval.
The waivers that applied to the project concerned two Traditional Neighborhood Overlay Zone 1 stipulations, specifically minimum lot requirements, and frontage setbacks. The updated proposal also requested deviations from the Roadway Geometric Design Standards for the loop road servicing 14 of the 16 buildings.
Five board members voted to approve the minimum lot requirement waiver and two voted against, and the board unanimously voted to allow every other waiver.
The proposal meets all the intents of the minimum lot size requirement, according to board member Rich Heller, and the average footage of the 16 parcels was over the ordinance’s 5,000 square foot minimum.
Board member Alan Zeller said the only reason some structures require frontage setback waivers is because the board requested eight-foot deep porches on all buildings. He encouraged the rest of the board to approve that waiver.
Board members determined that the design for the project’s privately owned and maintained loop road satisfied the Police Chief, Fire Chief, and Department of Public Works.
Community development director Peter Throop noted that if the board didn’t grant the road waivers, its decision could be appealed because there are roads in existing developments in town with similar conditions to the one being proposed. Throop recommended the board look into excluding condominiums from the regulations in the future.
About 20 members of the public came to observe the process and comment. Board members determined that the nature of some previously voiced concerns had already been voided by design changes.
Chairman Dario Carrara said he hopes the next meeting will involve a vote with the final, updated design in light of the night’s meeting.
The Planning Board is set to reconvene about the project on Nov. 12 at 6:30 p.m in the Town House.