TOWN OF HOLDEN
ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS
HEARING
HOLDEN NURSING HOME, INC. V 1108
d/b/a HOLDEN REHABILITATION AND NURSING CENTER
The Zoning Board of Appeals held a public hearing on September 15, 2011 at 7:15 p.m. in the Selectmens Room of the Starbard Building, 1204 Main Street, Holden, MA on the Petition of Holden Nursing Home, Inc. d/b/a Holden Rehabilitation and Nursing Center for property located at 32 Mayo Drive for a Variance to obtain relief from landscaping and parking setbacks and to allow a driveway width in excess of twenty feet.
Members in attendance:
R. Spakauskas, S. Annunziata, R. Oslebo and R. Butler.
The Chairman called the meeting to order. Since there were no objections, the reading of the legal notice, list of abutters, application and Findings of Fact were waived.
Attorney Sami Baghdady, representing the applicant, gave an overview of the case. The Wachusett Extended Care Facility is being merged with the Holden Nursing Home. He explained that they are largely dealing with setbacks of the parking lanes for the two-way traffic.
R. Oslebo asked about the nearest house to the back area and could that area be developed. Atty. Baghdady said the steep slopes along the edges of the site considerably limit the area available for development.
D. Lipka, Building Commissioner, commented that the staff review process included the Fire Department and the Engineering Division. They require additional space for turning areas for their emergency equipment and felt this was a reasonable request.
R. Spakauskas said the receiving area is a problem and can understand when Holden Nursing Home creates a new design they will also need another exit. Atty. Baghdady said the present parking arrangements include areas that require staff and visitor to back into the existing access drive that connects the hospital property to Mayo Drive. The new parking areas have been de-signed to be independent of the campus traffic lanes and will be primarily accessed from an islanded entrance/exit point. A second access drive connecting the Holden Rehabilitation and Nursing Center property and the hospital site is being provided to improve traffic flow and emergency vehicular access.
D. Lipka said in staff review, regulations will be made to ensure adequate access because of the proximity to the steep grade and aggressively pursuing erosion control.
S. Annunziata noted that in the application it was sated that this campus development would pro-vide 61 parking spaces and he asked if they felt this would be adequate. It was answered yes, these will be paved, well lit, and property drained parking spaces. This represents a parking space to bed ratio of two to one (2:1) or a 50% increase over and above that which is required by the off-street parking standards in the Zoning Bylaw. Also, the employees work in shifts.
Since there were no further comments or questions, the public hearing was closed at 8:15 p.m.
The Board voted unanimously to approve the variance request with the following condition: 1) Parking areas for which the variance was sought must be consistent with the plan submitted to the Zoning Board of Appeals dated August 11, 2011 prepared by Meridian Associates.
____________________________________
Ronald E. Spakauskas, Chairman
| 
