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Charlton board continues petition for 20x40 shed at 318 Southbridge Road amid neighbor safety concerns
Summary
P&P General Contractors sought permission for a 20‑by‑40 storage shed at 318 Southbridge Road in an Industrial General zone close to an LNG facility; neighbors raised safety and driveway‑use concerns and the board continued the hearing to Sept. 2.
Robert Pachelski Jr., representing P&P General Contractors, asked the Charlton Zoning Board of Appeals for relief to install a 20‑by‑40 storage shed at 318 Southbridge Road. The property lies in an Industrial General zone with larger setback requirements and borders an LNG facility and a solar field, town staff said.
"I'm looking to build a, 20 by 40 shed, in the northwest corner of my property," Pachelski said. He described the intended use as storage for tools and occasional small equipment and said the proposed location would be screened and accessible from his private driveway; he said regular use would be limited and would not rely on the shared driveway used by another household.
Kurt Meskis, zoning enforcement officer and building commissioner, reviewed photographs and aerials showing the proposed location, nearby LNG infrastructure, and a narrow, steep driveway that leads to the tucked‑away corner where the applicant proposed siting the shed. Meskis noted that the Industrial General zone setback from the street is 35 feet, larger than setbacks in typical residential districts.
The board received a written statement from Karen Nolan of 320 Southridge Road expressing concerns about potential safety risks and increased traffic because vans and buses pick up and drop off residents she cares for, including individuals with disabilities. A neighbor at 324 Southridge Road also spoke, saying he feared the shed could be used in connection with the nearby gas plant and that increased use of the shared driveway could create hazards.
Pachelski and staff told the board that regular access would use the applicant's private driveway and that the shed would store primarily office and job‑site equipment — lighting, small pumps, ladders — not hazardous materials. The board agreed to continue the hearing to Sept. 2 to allow absent members to review photos, plans and correspondence. The board did not reach a decision on the setback or variance at the Aug. 5 meeting.
