ZBA Straw Poll: Thumbs Up On Main St. Housing

CHATHAM – In a straw poll at its Nov. 13 meeting, zoning board of appeals members indicated that they support approval of a comprehensive permit for the proposed 48-unit affordable housing project at 1533 Main St.

 The straw poll vote was 4-1, with member David Nixon dissenting.

 The board asked Town Counsel Jay Talerman to develop conditions for the project and tentatively schedule a discussion of his draft for today (Nov. 20). If Talerman is unable to finish a draft of the conditions by then, the board may hold a special meeting Nov. 24. 

The board faces a Dec. 4 deadline to finalize the comprehensive permit.

 The board has spent several months discussing developer Pennrose’s plans for the property, formerly owned by the Buckley family. A number of revisions have been made to reflect concerns expressed both by board members and the public.

 Some issues remain outstanding, however, including the fate of a proposed management building on the property and inclusion of a crosswalk on Main Street, which is also Route 28, a state road. 

 In another straw vote, the board narrowly endorsed retention of the 21,000-square-foot management building, 3-2. Chair Randi Potash noted that the management building wasn’t a requirement in the town’s request for proposals for the project.

 “That has been a huge topic here, and it wasn’t even in the RFP,” she said. Nixon and board member Virginia Fenwick opposed inclusion of the management building. Fenwick said she had concerns about the project’s density, but could support the development if the management building was eliminated.

 Talerman said he could include in the conditions a request for Pennrose to redesign the management building, which board members have also criticized as not fitting in with the buildings in the neighborhood.

 Board members also discussed the need for irrigation in order to ensure that plantings survive. That might require installation of a private well. Potash said she would vote no without that.

 “I really want it to look nice,” she said. Fenwick agreed, adding that she’d like to see more trees included in the landscaping plan.

 “To establish them and make them flourish, I think we need the water,” she said.

 Member Paul Semple said he’d prefer not to have a well, but suggested one could be used for a few years while the vegetation gets established. If so, it should follow whatever restrictions are in place for municipal water use, he added.

 Board members said they wanted to see a crosswalk so that pedestrians, especially children, could get from the development, which is on the south side of Route 28, to the sidewalk on the north side of the road. However, because Route 28 is controlled by the state, they were uncertain if a crosswalk could be included in the conditions. The town recently received a state grant to pay for public infrastructure improvements to the project, such sewer connections and sidewalks, and perhaps a crosswalk.

 In voicing his opposition to the development, Nixon said he focused on the impact to the surrounding neighborhood and strove to find a balance between “reason and passion.” Voters would not likely have approved purchase of the property had the Pennrose plans been known at the time, he said. He could not overcome concerns over density and felt the development should be no more than 24 units. 

 Nixon had four other conditions: He wanted to see studio apartments included; elimination of the management building; inclusion of more elevators; and inclusion of a crosswalk.

 “I don’t see how I can vote for it, I honestly don’t,” without those provisions being included, he said. Pennrose, he added, is wrong for Chatham. “I do hope you pick up your pieces and leave,” he said.

 He suggested that town officials, including the affordable housing trust board, meet with the zoning board before issuing proposal requests for future housing projects that will require comprehensive permits.

 “We can probably cut three or four months off this process” by doing so, Nixon said.

 The zoning board also continued its discussions with Pennrose on the proposed 42-unit affordable housing development on Meetinghouse Road. That hearing was continued to Dec. 10.