Planning commission grants concept approval for St. Mary's Marketplace, sets conditions on FDR connection and buffers

The Planning Commission on Nov. 24 approved the concept site plan for St. Mary's Marketplace, a proposed 121,242‑square‑foot retail shopping center on about 14 acres near the intersection of Route 4 and Route 235, subject to conditions and outstanding items to be resolved before final site plan approval.

Bob Bowles, Department of Land Use and Growth Management staff, described outstanding items: the planning director must make final adequate public facilities (APF) findings prior to final site plan approval; Board of County Commissioners approval is required for vehicular access across county‑owned right‑of‑way; buffer yard reductions (movement from a 75‑foot B buffer to a narrower C buffer) were discussed and may require administrative or Board of Appeals action depending on the precise reduction and any parking proposed within a buffer; and the applicant and county must address completion of FDR Boulevard and the land connections between Sturbridge Village and the proposed site.

John Norris, engineer for the applicant NGO Engineering (DRS Development), and traffic consultant Michael Lenhart presented the site layout, proposed access points and off‑site transportation mitigations. The developer proposes to construct portions of FDR Boulevard through the site, donate frontage land intended for future state improvements, close certain existing driveways and build a signalized main entrance; the project includes roadway widening, added turn lanes and a proposed interconnection that the traffic model shows would divert trips away from the failing Route 4/Route 235 intersection.

Lenhart’s traffic simulation showed two scenarios: future traffic without the FDR connection and the marketplace, and future traffic with the project and FDR extended. The consultants said the FDR connection and signalization would shift traffic patterns so some drivers could bypass the 4/235 intersection, and the study concluded the project’s improvements would mitigate several times the project’s direct traffic impact at the studied intersections. State Highway raised modeling questions during review and recommended an assignment change for some trip routing; the consultants revised the analysis in response and said the mitigation still offsets the project’s impact.

Reverend Leroy Finto of St. Mary's Church of Christ, whose property is adjacent to part of the proposal, spoke in support of the project and said the FDR extension would improve safety. Commissioners attached conditions at concept approval: final APF findings and director administrative approvals must be completed before final site plan, the FDR Boulevard/Sturbridge land connection must be resolved before final plan recordation, right‑of‑way crossing approvals must be secured from the Board of County Commissioners, and fencing and buffer designs must prevent small children from passing through (child‑retaining fencing).

Motion to approve the concept plan was made by Commissioner Thompson, seconded by Commissioner Evans. The motion passed by voice vote with Miss McNeil recorded as opposed.