“Bravo!” exclaimed Planning Board member Chris Collings after seeing Tabor Academy’s latest plan to designate space for the eight parking spots necessary to achieve the minimum 58 required by the Town’s zoning bylaw for its proposed Campus Center at 85 Spring Street.
“Bravo to the applicant and their team for finding a way to meet the needs of the town of Marion,” said Collings. “[I] mirror that comment,” said board member Norm Hills.
Board member Eileen Marum said she is pleased that two spaces will be made available for electric vehicles, and member Joe Rocha said, “I like the fact that area is going to remain grass, be permeable.”
The reactions and unanimous vote by Planning Board members in their March 15 Zoom meeting brought to a conclusion what had been a contentious examination of Tabor’s proposed replacement of the Hayden Library.
“The building is going to be an improvement,” said Town Planner Gil Hilario, who called the Hayden Library building “antiquated.” Hilario said, “This will improve the village; the design is really good.”
“I think we collectively all felt that way about the building,” said Planning Board Vice Chairman Andrew Daniel, acting as chair for the case in the absence of Planning Board Chairman Will Saltonstall, who recused himself from all discussions and public hearings on the application as the project’s architect.
Daniel publicly apologized to Tabor Academy representatives for mishandling the March 1 public hearing that required a supermajority of five votes. Thinking the 4-1 vote on the parking matter was enough, he proceeded to move on to the next step addressing the vote for the overall project when he was informed the 4-1 vote was a denial, not approval. A second vote ended at 3-2, stalling the project’s approval.
Adding his thanks to Town Administrator Jay McGrail for walking him through the denial of the special permit sought, Daniel promised he would never make that mistake again.
On Monday night, the major site plan review was approved, and Tabor representative Tristan deBarros and acting Head of School Julie Salit thanked the board.
Late in the meeting during the Public Outreach segment given to open comment, Daniel took a the opportunity to speak as a citizen and used the platform to issue an impassioned rebuttal to a letter that Selectman John Waterman had submitted in the local press criticizing the Planning Board’s handling of the Campus Center public hearing.
Daniel stated that it is “not uncommon to meet multiple times.” He continued, “I don’t think we gave Tabor a hard time…. It was not a hardship and in no way was unfair treatment. To suggest otherwise was wrong.”
Another continued public hearing ended with great relief and happiness when the Planning Board approved an Approval Not Required (ANR) plan filed by attorney Robert Perry on behalf of the Sears Family Trust, Denise Allard, and the Estate of Joan E. Botelho, to split the lots at 61 and 63 Oakdale Avenue into separate properties. Saltonstall said, “We found the [Zoning Board of Appeals] decision compelling; it’s a quirky situation but one that makes sense.”
A second ANR plan was approved for 483 Point Road, where James and Elizabeth Kerns wish to expand their driveway area off Point Road.
Developer Matthew Zuker appeared before the Planning Board to introduce himself and discuss his proposed zoning change at 78 Wareham Road to Residence E multi-family housing. He was joined by attorney Patricia McArdle, who represented then-owner Henry DeJesus a year ago regarding the development of the same parcel.
A public hearing will be scheduled for April 5.
“The big change is more single-family homes,” said Zuker, who lives in Falmouth and says there is a “real need in Marion for housing variety geared to 55 and over.” He envisions coastal cottages varying in size from 1,650 to 2,400 square feet that would start in price somewhere “in the mid-sixes.”
Zuker said he has the same team that DeJesus had, including engineer Dave Davignon. “Architecturally speaking, what we’re going for: traditional Marion in the front, and a more modern take on the back side,” he said of his “very preliminary” designs.
Zuker is requesting a zoning change from D to E to allow for more density but insists, with experience as a real-estate attorney having executed agreements before on use restriction, that he is “more than happy” to agree to spacing restrictions. He characterized his project as two and three-bedroom units, some single-family, and some townhouse-style out front on the 30 acres.
The continued public hearing for a special permit and major site plan review filed by Sherman Briggs and Hamblin Homes Inc., proposing a 28-unit residential development on Spring Street, was again continued to Monday, April 5, at 7:05 pm at the applicant’s request.
A public hearing to allow applicant Kristina Nelson to host a nutrition club with a reduction in parking at 3 Wells Road was discussed and continued to Monday, April 5, at 7:25 pm.
The Planning Board also discussed bylaw codification articles to be brought to the warrant for the Annual Town Meeting on May 10.
Hills presented the six different articles. The most controversial would allow the shutting-off of a resident’s water supply for delinquent water bills. Section 218 gives the town that option to try to obtain the payment; furthermore, unless a resident can prove a hardship case, it would require a homeowner to hook up to the town’s municipal water service.
“We have the highest water rates in the state and to shut them off is not our best avenue with the people in town,” said Daniel.
“It’s not saying we will; it’s saying we can,” said Hills.
“But you shouldn’t; it’s kind of crazy,” said Daniel.
The next meeting of the Marion Planning Board is scheduled for Monday, April 5, at 7:00 pm.
Marion Planning Board
By Mick Colageo