Planning board approves Brothers Contracting new-tenant application; staff proposes streamlining new-tenant reviews

The Swansea Planning Board voted May 8 to approve a new-tenant application for a construction office and showroom, Brothers Contracting, at 93 Manach Highway. Planning staff also presented a memo recommending the town phase out separate new-tenant applications and handle most moves into previously approved sites administratively.

Planning staff (Adam) reviewed the application and a written memo recommending that new tenants moving into properties with prior site-plan approval be handled through an administrative review if the proposed use did not alter the structure, layout or intensity of use. Adam told the board that, for the Brothers Contracting application, staff found no changes to the building footprint or circulation and determined the proposed office and kitchen/bath showroom represented a similar or lesser intensity than the prior occupancy. Staff recommended against requiring a new site plan or holding a public hearing in such cases.

The applicant’s materials indicated on-site employees, customer estimates and parking: staff noted five on-site employees in normal operations, a planned 20 parking spaces, estimated three customers on a typical day, UPS deliveries about three times per week and one large truck weekly for deliveries. Planning staff also noted the property had prior approvals for commercial use and that no shoreline or watershed permits were required for the current occupancy as presented.

Board members debated whether to continue accepting the separate new-tenant application form or to consolidate it with the multi-tenant administrative process adopted in 2023. Adam said staff planned to draft a streamlined application that would consolidate new-tenant and multi-tenant reviews into a single administrative pathway and would bring that draft to the board for public hearing if the board supported removing the form from the site-plan review regulation. Members asked that applicants still be notified when administrative reviews happen and that larger changes — e.g., increases in parking demand, traffic, or building expansions — continue to be routed to the planning board.

Motion to approve the Brothers Contracting new-tenant application was made by Michael York, seconded by Brandon, and carried with an aye vote. The board directed staff to prepare a consolidated, streamlined application and, if changes to the site-plan regulations are proposed, to present them at a public hearing for the planning board to consider.