Norwood planning commission endorses preliminary Robertson South PUD but denies final plan; waiver request rejected

The Norwood Planning Commission on Wednesday endorsed a preliminary Planned Unit Development (PUD) for the Robertson South parcel associated with the Factory 52 project but denied a developer request to waive PUD requirements and withheld final-approval for the PUD after residents raised concerns about traffic, density, drainage and privacy.

The actions followed several hours of public comment from neighbors and multiple votes by the commission. Commissioners approved a minor amendment to the Phase 2 PUD that changes the center roadway exiting onto Robertson Avenue into a capped hammerhead turnaround, denied a separate motion to waive PUD requirements for the Robertson South parcel, placed a PUD overlay on 2741 Robertson Avenue, expanded the existing Factory 52-related PUD to include that parcel, endorsed the preliminary PUD for Robertson South, and then voted to deny the developer’s proposed final PUD plan.

Why it matters: The sequence of votes keeps the project moving in stages but preserves opportunities for further technical review and revisions. Residents and some commissioners said more study of traffic impacts, drainage and the proposed layout is needed before final approval; the commission’s denial of the final PUD preserves that additional review.

What the commission did and why - Minor amendment (Phase 2): The commission approved a minor amendment to the Phase 2 planned unit development that caps the through roadway and converts it to a hammerhead turnaround that will exit onto Robertson Avenue only in emergency or egress situations. Mick Oakes, an associate developer with PLK Communities, said the change was made “at the request of the city and some of the neighbors” and that the revised PUD reflects that city- and…