ZBA Considers Variances for Businesses.

by Paul Saulnier 1/19/12

January 18, 2012. Neighbors of projects proposed by owners of the Village Plaza and Kamala Designs, anxious to learn the details, filled the hearing room at Town Hall this night.

First up was the proposed second floor addition to the Village Plaza, 100 Central Street. The proposal includes a second floor over the entire building which will extend beyond the first floor by the distance of the current canopy.

The center portion will include a bump out for stairs. An elevator is also part of the proposal.  The hip roof, designed to hide the utilities, will create a silhouette 41.5 feet above Charles Street and 39 feet above Central Street.

Neighbors questioned the details and construction sequence and timing but no one spoke in opposition to the proposal.

Peter Barbieri, above, attorney for proponent, Metrowest Realty Group, LLC (Dan Nissi, Manager), assured the board that the recent septic upgrade is adequate to handle the additional flow created by the second floor office space.

The second project on the agenda created considerable comment by neighbors opposed to allowing a retail business in a residential zone. Kate LaMontagne requested the ZBA to grant her a variance to operate her retail store at 138 Railroad Street located in the Agricultural/Residential B Zoning District. Kate’s husband, Maurice, told the board that granting the variance would alleviate the hardship that Kamala Designs, located at 31 Union Street, endures due to its remote location. LaMontagne explained that the business cannot survive in its current location and needs to be more visible in order to attract new customers. The Railroad Street address would cure that problem, he feels. In addition to fixing up the currently run down property, he would like to create seven parking spaces for off-street parking for customers, which currently average eight per day, according to Kate.

Neighbors of 138 Railroad were unanimous in their opposition to the variance request. They submitted a petition signed by 15 residents and a detailed review of the ZBA rules and regulations by Ken & Sue Rockert, 21 Hampshire Street and Rick & Barbara Kattman, 49 Grove Street. They contend that “Retail sales are specifically prohibited uses in an AR-2 Zoning District (see Exhibit B1 & B2 – Holliston Zoning BY-Laws, Section III-A, page 16 and # 27 page 23). Henry Dellicker, Chairman of the ZBA, agreed but responded that that is why a variance is being requested, as opposed to a special permit. Member Chris Flanagan pointed out the standards for granting a variance are much higher than for granting a special permit.

Several residents spoke in favor of the proposal, including John Drohan, president of the Holliston Business Association, an advocate for small businesses in Holliston.

After the hearings were closed, the members of the ZBA deliberated and ruled to approve the dimensional variance and special permit for 100 Central Street but denied the variance request for 138 Railroad Street. Dellicker said that the board was not happy about denying the request but it did not meet the definition of hardship as presented.

Posted in Neighborhood, Marketplace, News.

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