A self-storage business is headed for the former Lockheed Martin complex off Route 6 in Marion after civil engineer Steve Gioiosa of SITEC visited the Marion Planning Board on Tuesday night seeking a Special Permit in a Limited Industrial-zoned property at 13 Barnabus Road on behalf of Sippican Holdings LLC.
The public hearing went on without Planning Board Chairman Tucker Burr, who as an abutter recused himself from the proceedings. Vice Chairman Andrew Daniel presided with Burr having left the conference room at the Marion Police Station.
Gioiosa explained that a wetland delineation has been approved and some master planning for the site has been done on the previously developed property where he discussed challenges for the new project.
In addition to the plan to replace an existing building with a two-story structure measuring 20,000 square feet (100×200), Gioiosa said the applicant is also looking at some of the bigger industrial pieces of land on the site and well as some of the vacant land.
He described it as bordering vegetated wetland, which he said is more challenging because of the topography; it starts high at Barnabus Road and slopes down a 25-foot drop so it was intended to pick a low-intensity use for the site.
The proposal is to demolish an existing parking area and transition the grade down on the other (east) side of the building with lower-level access for storage. Customer parking would be created next to a small office to facilitate rental units, and people could park in front of their storage units. The same configuration would exist in the back.
To avoid a dead-end configuration, the applicant plans to loop a driveway around the back (north side of the complex) so that emergency vehicles could access the property and loop around to get back out.
The building would include 900 square feet of office space presumably with a single employee on site.
Sewer/water infrastructure is on the property and only needs reconnection to the new facility.
The Special Permit sought is to allow self-storage on the site. The actual construction would be vetted in a separate public hearing with site-plan review.
There will be a sprinkler system on the side of the building, and the lower-level layout will include rear-access overhead doors on the west side of the building and interior corridors.
The project is in a preliminary stage of development, but Gioiosa estimates a rough count of 240-250 total rental units. He said the applicant is building a similar structure in Fairhaven. Gioiosa said the developer has built numerous medical offices on Faunce Corner Road and is the former owner of the AT&T building in Fairhaven.
The project will be designed to achieve gradual slopes and will upgrade stormwater management, respect the no-disturb zones, keep most of the improvements well outside and use significant landscaping to buffer from other areas.
Gioiosa said the goal would be to not overburden the site but revitalize it.
Daniel said Fire Chief Brian Jackvony has no comment at this time.
Board member Eileen Marum asked about the height of the structure; Gioiosa said the plan is a low-profile roof, 32 feet at its highest point, and from the front view one would only see one story with a pitched roof.
Marum also asked about designing the roof to include solar on the site; Gioiosa called it a great idea but said the matter would fall into the architect’s purview. Gioiosa said the same contractor is looking at solar on the former Vanity Fair building in Dartmouth.
The board voted to grant the Special Permit, approving self-storage as a proposed business at the site; Sippican Holdings LLC will revisit the Planning Board with a formal application, including site-plan review.
Town Planner Doug Guey-Lee suggested the possibility that the project may also need vetting with the Conservation Commission.
“I think we’re all pretty happy with putting storage with general uses,” said board member Ryan Burke, and Marum noted there is already a storage facility going into the complex.
Gioiosa and the board agreed that self-storage is a needed business in Marion. Daniel said that there is a six-month wait in the area to rent a unit. “It seemed like a lot were being built, but they’re all full,” he said.
Gioiosa also noted that the applicant has no interest in spinning the site off to a separate entity; he said the plan is to keep the business under local control.
FSJ Holdings pitched a proposed zoning change to Residence E for a 2.5-acre property owned at 207-215 Wareham Road. Jennifer Jones represented the applicant and noted she is the former facilities manager at the Lockheed Martin site.
Her plan is to renovate an existing residential rental site, describing 14 units divided among four buildings including one large building that contains eight units. Part of the project is to raze a building and replace it with other multifamily buildings.
“We think replacing that big building with a larger unit is beneficial to the area,” said Jones.
The riverfront would need zoning reclassification. Jones with working with Bill Madden of G.A.F. Engineering.
The plan to come back in March for a public hearing with Madden, ultimately heading for the Annual Town Meeting to put the zoning change before Marion’s voters.
Jones said she has an alternate plan if the town will not reclassify the riverfront.
The board made Jones aware of the Inclusionary Housing Bylaw and her obligation to go through the 40B statute process. One in every 10 units has to be an affordable unit, which in the case of this application would translate into two units out of 20 being subsidized, affordable housing. Jones was also told she could pay a fee in lieu of building affordable units.
Jones said her current apartments are priced at market rate.
Marum asked about traffic flow off Route 6. Jones said there are two egress points off Route 6 but has not been asked yet to order a traffic study. Member Jon Henry said he wouldn’t minimize a traffic study in this case.
Marum considered the project to pose no infringement on the neighborhood character but asked about its impact on the natural environment.
Daniel said that the infrastructure would have to be complete before the units are built.
The ongoing discussion on a bylaw for short-term rentals took a turn at the board’s last meeting on January 2 and when reorganized Bylaw Codification Committee offered to write the bylaw for the Planning Board. Lengthy discussion ensued at that meeting, as the town continued to receive feedback to inform its effort at addressing the complicated matter.
On Tuesday, Burr said the idea has been to get more specific ideas from the board members.
Member Alanna Nelson said the board needs to divide between things that are procedural in nature over against what would actually be appropriate to include in a bylaw. “We have a lot of procedural ideas, but what would you actually want to put on the bylaws? So, for me, stick to that.”
Guey-Lee said that while board members can draft ideas and options, it’s important to know when does the process become a draft that is actually contemplated or voted upon.
“It has to be clear that there are no decisions on the table,” he said, suggesting the board consult with the town’s legal team “and make sure we’re not entering into procedural gray areas.”
Daniel suggested the members work on it conceptually without references to state laws.
Marum said she already drafted a bylaw but did not submit it for the board’s consumption.
Henry reiterated his prior concern that the Planning Board consults with other boards such as the Water/Sewer commissioners (the Select Board.)
Burr asked the members to continue and make a real, concerted effort, sending everything to board administrator Terri Santos.
Regarding a memorandum from the Bylaw Codification Committee on a proposed change to Subdivision Rules and Regulations, the board voted to accept three changes on how they process subdivision applications.
The next meeting of the Marion Planning Board is scheduled for Monday, February 5, at 7:00 pm at the Police Station on Route 6.
Marion Planning Board
By Mick Colageo