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Developers seek OK for two-building mixed-use project; board continues hearing for traffic and stormwater review
Summary
LK North Realty LLC presented plans for two connected mixed-use buildings at Church Street and West Main — ground-floor retail/restaurant with 10 residential units above — and the board continued the public hearing to May 26 to allow time for traffic and stormwater peer-review responses and to resolve inclusionary housing and parking questions.
LK North Realty LLC asked the Town of Northborough planning and zoning panels on Tuesday to continue review of a proposed mixed-use project at the corner of Church Street and West Main so consultants can finish technical studies and the applicant can respond to peer-review comments. Attorney Barry Crims, representing the applicant, told the board the team does not expect a final vote at the special meeting and requested time to address outstanding items including traffic, groundwater protections, stormwater treatment and an updated traffic assessment from Fuss & O'Neil.
The project would redevelop a vacant downtown parcel with two connected buildings comprising ground-floor commercial space — including a restaurant for which the applicant would later seek a liquor license from the select board — and 10 one-bedroom residential units on the upper floors. The applicant's design team described a pedestrian alley between the connected volumes, covered walkways, and a universal-design approach that limits slopes to about 5 percent so entrances and restrooms are accessible without separate handicap-only entrances.
Why it matters: the site sits in the town's groundwater protection overlay and at a busy intersection on Route 20. Town consultants and board members said stormwater and traffic impacts are the principal outstanding issues that must be resolved before the board can act.
Board members and consultants pressed the applicant on circulation and safety. The project team proposed a single primary entrance on Church Street and a one-way exit onto West Main (Route 20) that would be right-turn only, a configuration the applicants said was chosen to reduce the safety risk of vehicles attempting left turns across two lanes of Route 20. "We went with safety," the presenter said, arguing that right-turn-only exit reduces the chance of collisions in the high-volume downtown corridor. Several board members countered that the traffic study should test alternate access scenarios and quantify queuing and spillback to Route 20.
Tetra Tech, the town's peer reviewer, recommended additional analysis. "We would like the applicant to look at maneuverability of vehicles in and out of those spaces," said Steve Boule of Tetra Tech, noting concerns about 20-foot drive aisles serving 90-degree parking, swept-path checks for fire and trash vehicles, and the potential need for hydrants or other fire-department requirements. He also asked for an operations and maintenance plan covering snow removal and permeable paving care.
The board also flagged a recently adopted inclusionary-housing bylaw: because the proposal totals 10 dwelling units, it now triggers a requirement that a portion of units be affordable (the bylaw sets a 15% floor). Planning staff and the applicant said they would address whether those affordable units will be onsite or provided offsite under the bylaw's options.
Public comment included support from a nearby resident who urged safer pedestrian crossings. "This is a beautiful structure. Be a really nice improvement to downtown North Bro," resident Mitch Cohen said, while also urging a marked crosswalk and flashing beacons.
Next steps: the applicant asked to continue the public hearing to May 26 so the team can submit revised plans and memos responding point-by-point to peer-review concerns. The board voted to continue the hearing to the May 26 meeting at 7 p.m.
