DCG Development Co. returned to the planning board last week following a public hearing held on April 25. The proposed plan is for 142,000 square feet of light industrial flex space on a 36.38 acre parcel in a light industrial zone. The parcel is located on the east side of Wood Road approximately 500 feet north of its intersection with Route 9.
The proposed site plan has been scaled down, resulting in approximately 78 percent of the remaining land being open space. There will be no disturbance of the designated wetlands. Site design provides for a single access from Wood Road and 246 parking spaces.
One of the outstanding issues that was addressed by the allocation of open space is to mitigate the cumulative effects of development within the Wood Road corridor on the Karner blue butterfly and its habitat.
I think it is rare that a developer is willing to allocate so much open space and be willing to maintain it, said board member Scott Hughes. `It is admirable that you have expanded the amount of open space on the property to give the existing habitat a chance.`
The developer will also erect a plaque on the site’s property recognizing the Earle Family, who owned and lived on the site in the mid-1850s.
The board granted prelim-inary site plan approval. Final site plan approval will be conditioned upon State Historical Preservation Office (SHPO) findings and addressing remaining outstanding staff issues.
The Assembly of God Church is a proposed 3,265 square-foot church to be located at 635 Englemore Road. Gavin Vuillaume, consultant for the applicant, reported that there has been very little change to the site design since the application was presented to the board in June. The board at that time requested the applicant address finalizing a plan for future expansion of a proposed septic system and a storm water management plan. The septic field is designed with a 50 percent future expansion area.
The expansion of the septic system will coincide with plans for the construction of a second phase of 2,687 square feet, to house classrooms and administrative offices.
Vuillaume outlined the expansion of the septic system which will coincide with the proposed Phase II addition, and also outlined plans for parking to eventually accommodate 50 vehicles. The applicant also informed the board that signage will be placed along the driveway, so parishioners will not park along it. The board granted preliminary and final site plan approval, contingent upon staff comments.
A proposed 27,500 square-foot professional office space in six buildings, to be located at 509 Moe Road, received preliminary and final site plan approval.
The plan calls for the construction of six single-story buildings, each approximately 4,500 to 4,600 square feet in size, for a total of 27,500 square feet of office space. The buildings will be residential in character and design, constructed of a masonry base, vinyl siding, and asphalt shingles. The project conforms to B-1 zoning, which permits up to 12 percent coverage of the site, with no single building being greater than 4,800 square feet. Total open space on the site will be approximately 59 percent. The buildings are situated adjacent to the main access drive, affording direct access by emergency vehicles, with parking areas located to the side and rear.
The applicant reported that the layout has been accepted by Sheryl Reed, chief of the bureau of fire prevention. A traffic impact study that recommended a site driveway egress stop sign, the relocation of the existing striped crosswalk on Moe Road, opposing turning lanes within the existing median and minor adjustments to the existing school drive/site driveway intersection geometry, have been incorporated into the site plan.
The planning board will meet again on Wednesday, Sept. 13. “