The Holliston Planning Board continued two public hearings at their February 16, 2023, meeting. Chair Karen Apuzzo-Langton (below) set the ground rules for the meeting as she called the meeting to order following the guidelines for MA open meetings using remote participation. Nearly 90 people attended via Zoom.
First up was a continuation of a public hearing for the “Trails at Jennings Hill” subdivision. Attorney Peter Barbieri (below) represented the petitioner Starr Construction.
The petitioner had submitted revised paperwork to the Board which did not get received in time for action by the Board at this meeting. The Hearing was continued to March 2, 2023.
Mrs. Apuzzo-Langton set out the format for the public hearing related to CRG Acquisition LLC’s petition for a special permit for the property at 555 Hopping Brook.
Chair Apuzzo-Langton introduced Town Counsel Jay Talerman (below) who had reviewed this petition and saw it to be a wholly new project – not a resubmission of CRG’s earlier project. Talerman’s position allows the Planning Board to start a review of this new application.
Chair Apuzzo-Langton invited Attorney Richard Nylen(top right below) to begin CRG’s presentation. He pointed out that this is a new application for a 550,000 square foot warehouse at 555 Hopping Brook. He noted that the pending lawsuit in land court is on hold while this petition moves through the review process. Mr. Nylen confirmed that the mitigation steps outlined previously would apply to this new project with several highlighted features added for this proposal.
Richard Nylen; CRG Counsel, Lynch, DeSimone, Nylen LLP
Peter Bemis, Engineering Design Consultants, Inc.
Brad Duncan, Cavanaugh Tocci Associates
Mr. Frank Petkunas, CRG Northeast Region Senior VP and Partner (above top left) reviewed the CRG corporate structure which provides one single point of contact for the entire acquisition – leasing process. He noted that Clayco has just completed a 665,000 square foot warehouse in Plainville. Mrs. Apuzzo-Langton asked if a site visit would be possible. Mr. Petkunas offered such a visit.
Peter Bemis of Engineering Design Consultants, Inc. provided a comparison of the new proposal showing the differences via a table (below) and a colored overlay format (second image below)
· Purple = the new building
· Orange = area NOT being used in this proposal
· Blue = water retention pond
· Kelly green arc = 30’ berm between building and Medway properties.
Mr. Bemis illustrated (below) the detail of the 30-foot-high earthen berm and the “Bufftech” eight-foot-high wall that will be on top of the berm. Spruce trees will be planted along the residential side of the berm.
The illustration below shows a side view from one of the Medway residences (to the right) that shows the natural trees remaining on the CRG property, the berm with spruce tree and wall on top and the 40-foot-high exterior wall of the proposed warehouse.
Below is a computer-generated image of the view from the Medway residences.
The next two computer-generated images show the exterior of the proposed warehouse with the berm, wall, and spruce trees in the background.
Mr. Brad Duncan from Cavanaugh Tocci Associates, acoustic consultants, presented the data related to the expected sound generated from the proposed operation.
The following slides were presented by Mr. Duncan.
Members of the Planning Board asked questions of the four representatives during the presentation and at the conclusion.
The Planning Board set a 9:00 pm curfew for this meeting. There was sufficient time following the presentation for Chair Apuzzo-Langton to allow a fifteen-minute public comment / question period. The Chair recognized that this is the first of Public Hearing sessions on this proposal. As such, questions asked of CRG at this session will be answered at a future session. A few citizens added their comments / questions as the time allowed.
The Board moved to continue the Public Hearing on this project. The next session of this Public Hearing will be on Thursday, April 13, 2023, at 7:02pm. Written comments regarding this project may be submitted to Town Planner Karen Sherman shermank@holliston.k12.ma.us. All comments / documents received no later than Thursday, April 6, 2023, will be available for review / action by the Board at the April 13th meeting.
The meeting adjourned and 8:45pm.
View the recording of the Feb. 16, 2023, meeting here -> 2-16 Planning Video.mp4 – Google Drive
Stay up to date on the 555 Hopping Brook process at – > https://www.townofholliston.us/planning-board/pages/555-hopping-brook-information
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Thank you for the thorough coverage of this presentation and hearing