TOWN OF HOLDEN
ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS
HEARING
Winterberry Hollow, LLC Case No.40B0107
The Zoning Board of Appeals held a continued public hearing on April 12, 2007 at 7:00 p.m. in Memorial Hall, 1196 Main Street, Holden, MA on the Application of Winterberry Hollow, LLC for an affordable housing Chapter 40B Comprehensive Permit referred to as Winterberry Hollow.
Members of the Board in attendance: Ronald Spakauskas, Ronald Oslebo, Jack LaPrade, Silvio Annunziata and Roy Fraser III. Also in attendance were the two alternate members, Fred Lonardo and James Deignan.
ZBA Chairman, Ronald Spakauskas, stated that since the Board’s last meeting, there has been a meeting of working groups discussing responses from town boards. The purpose of the hearing tonight is to start the applicant’s process. At the next meeting on May 10, 2007 the public will be allowed to comment. This evening the public is welcome to view the plans and hear the description of the proposed project.
Attorney Mark Donahue, representing the applicant, gave an overview of the plan. The proposed development will consist of 246 apartment units on 90 acres of land located between Salisbury Street, Cranbrook Drive and Newell Road. Of the 246 apartments, 25 percent would be designated as affordable, while the remaining units would be rented at market price. This would achieve the Local Initiative Program that the Board of Selectmen on behalf of the Town has supported.
Mr. Thomas Reardon, an architect working on the project, stated that the development would be in a horseshow shape. There would be up to 497 parking spaces and some garages. The buildings would be three-stories high with no elevators. He said there would be some gable design in the front of the structures and a mixture of materials, including some brick fronts.
Mr. Daniel Dumais, Transportation Engineer, told the Board that this project would not significantly increase traffic delays in the area. Atty. Donahue added that traffic is always a concern with any development. However, he felt that the eight apartment buildings, which will contain one-, two- and three-bedroom units, can be built without hurting the residents, town as a whole or the environment.
Mr. Robert Weidknecht, a consultant with Beals and Thomas, Inc. said the main roadway through the development would be 28 feet wide and a second road would be 24 feet wide. Access would be from Newell and Salisbury streets.
R. Fraser asked if the two locations could be staked and flagged at Newell and Salisbury streets. Atty. Donahue said they will try to get it done by early May.
Judith Barrett from Community Opportunities Group, Inc. of Boston, a consultant working with the town on the project, said she could not attend the May 10 meeting. Acting on her recommendation, the ZBA decided to hire additional consultants, at the applicant’s expense, to assist the town with setting requirements for the development.
S. Annunziata made a motion to continue the next meeting for Winterberry Hollow on May 24th at 7:00 p.m. R. Oslebo seconded. Vote 7-0, motion approved.
The public hearing was officially adjourned at 8:30 p.m.
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Ronald E. Spakauskas, Chairman
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