Published: 4/11/2021 1:42:39 PM
Modified: 4/11/2021 1:42:37 PM
ATHOL — The Zoning Board of Appeals Wednesday night voted to continue a public hearing on a special permit and several variances sought by NewVue Affordable Housing to turn the Bigelow and Riverbend schools into 53 units of intergenerational, mixed-income housing. The plan, with an estimated cost of around $30 million, includes the construction of a new building that would provide a number of units and community space.
The hearing had only proceeded for 10 or 15 minutes before ZBA Chair Susan Sykes threw a bit of a monkey wrench into the proceedings.
Because the proposed development would occupy two parcels, both currently owned by the town, Sykes contended that NewVue should have presented two plans — one for each parcel — rather than a single proposal covering both lots. Most of the property in question sits on a large parcel 3 acres in size. The rest of it, including a corner of the Bigelow School, sits on a much smaller parcel of 7,000 square feet.
“You’re asking for the same exact permit and variances on two parcels,” Sykes told Kelly Killeen of CHA Design/Construction Solutions, the engineer for the project.
“The project that we’re asking for,” Killeen responded, “is for 53 units on 3.16 acres, which would be the combination of the two lots. We would look for the board, at a minimum, to condition this that in any situation that that lot line (between the two parcels) has to be removed in order for this project to move forward. We’re seeking the same variances because they are part of the same project.”
“Just a small corner of Ellen Bigelow sits on that 7,000-square-foot lot,” said Sykes. “So, asking for a variance for that lot is almost impossible to grant you. You’re asking for the exact same variance for two lots.”
Sykes and Killeen went back and forth for several more minutes before setting aside the issue to move onto other topics related to the project.
Several neighbors of the project expressed concern about the amount of parking planned for the facility, as well as the amount of traffic the development could generate in the neighborhood. There was skepticism that the 79 parking spaces provided for in the plan would be adequate to accommodate all the residents of the 53-unit development and fear that more people would end up parking on neighborhood streets.
Killeen said the company that would be hired to manage the development would ultimately decide who could park at the facility and how many vehicles they would be allowed. The plan recently approved by the town’s Planning Board indicated that 1.23 parking spaces would be provided for each unit.
“There will be specific guidelines as to who gets a car and who doesn’t get a car,” he said, “or who gets a space and what the minimum about of spaces are allowed.”
Killeen then pointed to another former school in Athol that had been redeveloped by NewVue.
“We’ve got one right up the street — School Street,” he said. “If you go there right now you’ll see that there’s an abundance of parking there. Of this project, these 20 units (for seniors), they don’t demand the same parking we need for a multifamily, conventional type project.”
“I drive by the School Street project a lot,” said Selectboard member Alan Dodge, “and there’s always a ton of empty spaces. There’s a complex where I live right here in Athol, Kelly’s Brook Apartments; they allow one parking space per unit — there’s over 60 units in that place — and there’s always plenty of spots. So, I think the concern over parking is overblown a little bit.”
Dodge also expressed hope that the questions regarding how to proceed with the special permit and variances for the two lots can be ironed out.
“This project adds nothing but value to our community,” he said. “So, I hope we can get the zoning piece straightened out and we get those two buildings taken off the town rolls because they are an eyesore and eventually, we’ll have to take them down at our expense. We have a chance to turn these old schools into nice buildings.”
The board voted to continue the hearing until May 26. Sykes said she would consult with the zoning enforcement officer and town counsel to see if the board could continue to consider a single proposal for what are now two separate parcels.
Greg Vine can be reached at gvineadn@gmail.com
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