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Public hearing for some, others, no
By Elizabeth Prata

New Gloucester-The New Gloucester Planning Board reviewed three applications at their regular meeting Tuesday night. John Palmiter, professional land surveyor, was before the Board along with Paul Ellis and Tim Parks, is developing the Cobble Hill Estates a subdivision, at McKenney Road.

Their project is in the rural residential and groundwater protection overlay district. Since the subdivision is early in the process, the Board advised the applicants that the Board's site walk will be held Saturday, February 21, and that the applicants needed to notify the abutters in advance of the public hearing. Above, Scott Brady in his Dad's store in Lower VIllage. Although there had already been a public hearing on this project, the Planning Board scheduled a second public hearing to discuss Brady's requested minor amendment for March 2 at 7:30. The Monument: Prata photo

They were also advised to contact the interim fire chief and provide the rest of the items to complete their application. Chair Jean Libby did have some questions as to why the right of ways were designed at 60 feet wide. Palmiter said that was because of the development grew in the future the 60 foot right of way would adhere to road standards. A smaller right of way would prevent future development.

"Well I think it looks funny," Libby said. "But then again I have a 60 foot right of way with a turnaround at my driveway so I guess it's all right."

In other business, applicant Ken Farrington is asking to develop Ken's Car Care on the lot adjacent to the Oliver Stores on Rt. 100. The area is in the residential-business and groundwater protection overlay districts.

Farrington said that he has been in the towing business since 1986 and the car care business since 1993. He used to have the business located on Rt. 26 in the aquifer protection overlay zone.

The Board had three concerns. They asked how far the cars for sale would be set back from the road. Libby was concerned with line of sight obstructions as cars pulled out from the lot. Farrington said ten feet. The Board discussed whether to have him set the cars further back, with Abby Lumsden proposing 15 or 20 feet.

Farrington said that would be fine, except that if the cars are too far back then the garage would be obstructed. They settled on asking Farrington to draw a better sketch map delineating exactly how the cars would be lined up. Don Mendell said that he didn't think the Board should be telling him how to run his business.

The Board also wanted to know if there would be a fence surrounding the impound area. Farrington said yes, a wooden fence. Libby asked how many cars would be contained in the impound area at any given time. Farrington replied that it was hard to tell from day to day. "I just had seven cars towed from my lot today and now none are there. After a snowstorm there may be quite a few and as they come get them, then they go. I'd say no more than ten at a time."

Third, the Board was particularly concerned that the impounded cars would be leaking fluids on the ground, which is in the groundwater protection overlay district.

Farrington said that at accidents most of the fluids are dumped on scene. The Public Safety and DEP officials provide the mechanics with the proper absorbent pads to bring with them when they tow the vehicles away.

"And when they get to the lot, I put a bucket under them if they leak." Libby said that sounded like too low tech of an approach, and worried that the bucket might tip over.

The Board also asked Farrington where he puts the collected fluids. He replied that the gives the antifreeze to one company that is happy to receive it and the oil to a few other companies that recycle it for their own purposes.
This seemed to satisfy the board's concerns, and they waived the site walk, with Libby saying, "We all know where it is." They also voted 6-0 to waive any public hearing.

Mike Brady is asking to reconfigure the already approved uses in his Brady Village Store, located at the intersection of Gloucester Hill Road and Rt. 231. The lot is in the Village and Overlay Districts.

Brady had already been approved for a beauty salon, apartment, and store. He was asking for an additional use. He is asking that upstairs over the store be changed from strictly residential to retail/residential.

The Board asked Brady exactly what he meant by retail. "It makes a difference," Libby said. Brady said that he didn't have a particular retail use in mind, but that if the Board approved the use then it would be overseen by the Code Enforcement officer to determine appropriate use.

Code Enforcement Officer Debby Parks said that "You are being asked to approve 4 uses. Whatever he puts in there will be up to me to enforce. If you approve them then I can keep an eye on him."

The Board had many questions about the parking for the store. They had approved 11 spaces two years ago, under his initial application. Now, they were concerned with how those spaces were configured and that the cars parking in them might back out into traffic. The location of the store is at a four-way intersection and cars speed down the hill, Libby said.

"You already approved the parking," Brady said. "All I am asking for is a another use upstairs. There's already parking spaces designated for those uses." Planner James Isaacson confirmed that under the district standards, there would need to be 9 spaces and the project was approved for 11. "He has more than enough," Isaacson said.

Ruth Waterman said that she didn't see a problem with what Brady was asking for if the CEO is overseeing it. Lumsden agreed, saying that "This is really a minor amendment to the project. He's fulfilling the requirements of the ordinance."

Libby said that she would want a redesign on the package if they were to approve another retail use.

The Board decided 5-1 (Waterman opposed) to schedule a public hearing on the project for March 2. Brady will have to notify all the abutters and appear March 2.

When asked why one applicant would have the public hearing waived and another required to have one, Libby said that the lot in which Ken's Car Care would go in has always been a mechanical area "For as long as anybody can remember." Although the Village Store has been in existence as a store for 114 years, Libby then said she didn't care to discuss it any further.