Applicant for new restaurant at 35 Main Street continues review; stormwater and floodplain work remain

The Planning Board continued the public hearing March 4 on a special permit with site plan approval for demolition of the existing commercial building and construction of a new restaurant at 35 Main Street (Map 27, Parcel 10).

Dan Merricken of Legacy Engineering represented the applicant and submitted revised plans responding to peer-review comments. Key adjustments included an underground crushed-stone infiltration bed to receive roof runoff only, conversion of some French drains to grass swales, modifications to pretreatment device designs, and elevation of the restaurant’s first floor and the use of flood openings in the foundation so the building’s habitable floor will sit above mapped flood elevations. Merricken said the site sits in a flood plain and that the project cannot fully meet all stormwater requirements but is proposing pretreatment that will allow infiltration before discharge via a level spreader.

The project team also adjusted on-site walkways, relocated the standing sign to meet setback constraints, reconfigured dumpsters and loading access, and added street trees and planting beds along the frontage. The applicant confirmed that the project will maintain a 20-foot fire access around the building and that manhole and grease trap covers meet locked-bolt requirements.

Planning staff and board members discussed lighting (wall packs/full cutoff fixtures), the building’s colonial-style appearance, and whether the patio would be used for dining; the applicant said the small front walking area is not currently planned for outdoor dining. Merricken said the project will appear before the Conservation Commission and other boards as required.

The board did not close the hearing. The applicant requested a continuance and offered to draft a proposed decision for the board’s consideration. The board continued the hearing to April 8 at 7:40 p.m.