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Planning board approves 700‑foot Rocky Wood Street roadway extension; neighbors ask for traffic controls
Summary
The board approved a 700‑foot roadway extension of Rocky Wood Street to serve potential future lots, adopting a 20‑ to 24‑foot roadway layout with turnaround and noting the project must still satisfy Conservation and DPW requirements; an abutter requested additional stop signage and roadway widening to handle added traffic.
The Taunton Planning Board voted to approve a proposed 700‑foot extension of Rocky Wood Street at its May 1 meeting, subject to department approvals and the Conservation Commission's pending review. The project will extend the previously approved roadway and create a layout intended to serve up to 13 potential residential lots.
Attorney William Manganiello represented the applicant and told the board the plan largely follows an extension approved in August 2024. The roadway will be 24 feet wide in most locations but narrows to 20 feet for a roughly 100‑foot stretch adjacent to wetlands at the Conservation Commission's request to reduce wetland impacts. The design includes a cul‑de‑sac/turnaround at the roadway's end and a standard set of DPW requirements for water and hydrants.
A nearby resident, Samuel Finney of Andrea Lane, had submitted a letter asking the board to require additional stop signs, traffic controls or widening of Range Avenue because Range narrows near the Rocky Wood intersection and often requires vehicles to pull over for oncoming traffic. The applicant and board noted that traffic control placement and stop signage can be considered by DPW and that detailed intersection improvements would be addressed during construction and DPW permitting.
Action: The board approved the roadway extension subject to standard department conditions (DPW water/sewer and permits) and Conservation Commission review; the plan does not itself approve subdivision lot layouts. The board agreed the DPW should evaluate any stop signs or additional traffic control at the Range/Rocky Wood intersection as the detailed design and construction proceed.
Next steps: Applicant to file required conservation documentation (notice of intent hearing scheduled), complete DPW submissions for water and sewer, and return with final construction documents and any required easements.
