Traffic concerns dominate latest Planning Board meeting

The issue of traffic was a recurring theme at the Planning Board meeting last Wednesday as the board held hearings on three separate site plan proposals — a gas station/convenience store on Route 138, a large liquor store in the Blue Hills section of Route 138, and a seven-unit condominium project on Plymouth Street in downtown Canton.

Source: CCTV

The first two projects, although located roughly four miles apart and proposed by two separate applicants, were both represented by Canton attorney Paul Schneiders and both involved sites in which access would be shared with one or more businesses.

In the case of the gas station project, Ronen Drory of Titanium Group LLC has requested approval to build a 600-square-foot convenience store and four gas pumps on a site that already has a car wash and vacuum station. The original proposal had also called for a drive-through window to sell coffee, but the applicant removed it from the plans based on input from the zoning and planning boards.

Located at 955 Turnpike Street across from the Turnpike Café, the property has also been approved for an indoor/outdoor soccer complex that would run parallel to Route 138 along the rear half of the property.

While no timetable has been released for the construction of the soccer fields, Schneiders said the gas station would be located on another section of the six-acre parcel and would have minimal impact on the traffic flow within the site or on Rte. 138.

Traffic engineer John Gillon, who prepared a traffic study for the applicant, confirmed Schneiders’ assertion in a presentation to the Planning Board, adding that the soccer complex, not the gas station, would be the primary cause of internal traffic delays.

But despite Gillon’s findings, board members George Jenkins and Jeremy Comeau both questioned whether it was simply too much for one site.

“I really feel this is too busy of a site,” Comeau said at one point during the hearing. “I’m not that comfortable with what we have here. It’s very busy and it’s a tough sell right now.”

Schneiders, however, insisted that the convenience store would only be for the “most basic, basic necessities.” He added that the area was recently rezoned to allow for gas stations after his client spoke on behalf of the project at last year’s annual town meeting.

After a lengthy dialogue, the two sides agreed to reconvene for a possible vote at the board’s next meeting on October 19.

The second hearing of the evening followed an eerily similar pattern, as Schneiders made a case for a proposed 4,800-square-foot liquor store at 2740R Washington Street while Jenkins and Comeau expressed major concerns over traffic circulation and access.

The liquor store would be located behind the gas station at 2740 Washington Street, where the former Interstate Towing building currently stands.

Schneiders said his client, Dr. Assaad Saya, purchased the gas station a few years ago and replaced it with a “beautiful” new building. Now he wants to do the same with the Interstate Towing facility, although he would be willing to utilize the existing building in the absence of site plan approval.

Schneiders said Saya has already obtained a beer and wine license and is “on the verge” of getting approval for an all-alcohol license.

However, in a detailed review of the project, Tom Houston, the Planning Board’s consulting engineer, identified 71 areas of concern, including what he called the “inherently problematic” issue of vehicle access.

“I don’t know if these issues are capable of a good engineering solution,” said Houston, adding that there is no clearly defined route to reach the rear part of the site.

Nevertheless, while he agreed that the property presents some unique challenges, Schneiders said his client remains committed to the project and will review all of Houston’s recommendations in an effort to find a workable alternative.

He also stressed that his client could still make use of the Interstate Towing building and would not need town approval to do so.

“We can operate a beer and wine store tomorrow at that site,” Schneiders said. “He can put up a makeshift sign, he can open the doors and bring cases of beer in there, and by 10 o’clock tomorrow morning he can sell beer and wine out of there.”

However, Schneiders said Saya would much prefer to revitalize the site, just as he has done with the gas station. Both parties agreed to revisit the discussion at the upcoming meeting on October 19.

Also discussed at last week’s meeting was a condo project at 41 Plymouth Street proposed in accordance with the Canton Center Economic Opportunity District (CCEOD) bylaw.

The applicant, former Planning Board member Scott Lenhart, is looking to raze an existing three-family house and replace it with a residential building with seven two-bedroom units.

Lenhart’s attorney, Suzanne Matthews, described it as a fairly simple project and one that meets all of the provisions of the CCEOD; however, Houston identified a number of potential issues involving stormwater management.

Three abutters to the project also testified at the hearing, and all three were adamantly opposed, citing concerns with traffic safety, environmental protection, as well as possible changes to the character of the neighborhood.

The Planning Board plans to weigh in on the proposal at a future meeting.

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Posted by Jay Turner on Oct 13 2011. Filed under News, Town Government. Both comments and pings are currently closed.