Hampden planning board continues public hearing on veterinary clinic parking expansion after technical peer review requests

The Town of Hampden Planning Board continued a public hearing Feb. 26 on an application from Camden Veterinary Clinic Realty LLC — owner Dr. Penny Peck — seeking a special permit with site-plan approval to expand the parking lot at 28 Summers Road.

Applicant representatives said the project would add a 20-space parking area north of the existing veterinary building, bringing total spaces on the combined parcels to 38 (the board’s zoning table requires 29 spaces for the proposed use). The plan includes a secondary curb cut on Summers Road to provide access between two parcels, new light poles designed to meet dark‑sky criteria, four red maple trees and an arborvitae buffer along the northern lot line, wheel stops next to the sidewalk and accessible‑parking ramp grades called out to meet ADA tolerances.

Rebecca, of Arlevecca Associates, presented detailed responses to peer-review comments and to the town’s site‑plan checklist, including revised spot grades at the driveway throat to meet the bylaw’s maximum 1% leveling zone and an enlarged infiltration basin sized to provide the required stormwater storage. “So all in all, the new parking lot will add 20 additional spaces,”…