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Planning board approves Orange/West Creek mixed‑use plan; conditions limit short‑term rentals, require year‑round units and sidewalk
Summary
Island Energy/Island Energy Services received planning approval to relocate Roasted and build a mixed-use structure with commercial space and seven total residential units; five of the new units will be restricted to year‑round occupancy (employee/resident housing), and one unit may be used as a short‑term rental. Town staff will review landscaping, drainage and sidewalk easement details.
The Planning Board approved a mixed‑use site plan and special‑permit package for a project on Orange Street/West Creek proposed by Island Energy Services (applicant) and designed by Dan Malloy. The plan relocates the Roasted cafe, retains a small office building and builds a new mixed‑use structure containing commercial space and six apartments; an existing studio apartment on the neighboring building brings the total to seven units on the site.
Applicant David Frederick described a company-wide effort to address employee housing needs and said the project balances commercial activity with housing: “We have over 80 employees and ... we put a real effort into dealing with employee housing,” he said. Consultant Dan Malloy explained the site plan and how the project will manage stormwater, utilities and parking.
Because the property sits in the MYOD (mixed‑use) district, the applicant requested parking credits for available on‑street parking within 500 feet and for shared‑parking arrangements on contiguous lots. With those credits the board accepted the applicant’s parking calculation and found the parking provision acceptable for the MYOD district.
The board approved the project with the following key conditions: five of the new apartments must be restricted to year‑round occupancy (intended for employees or year‑round residents); one unit may be used as a short‑term rental (STR) permitted by the zoning; the town tree on site must remain; a detailed landscape plan and final stormwater design must be submitted to and approved by staff prior to issuance of building permits; sidewalk improvements on West Creek Road must be constructed and any necessary easements coordinated with the town; and if free transit (NRTA) funding ends, the applicant agreed to supply transit passes for building occupants or equivalent assistance to encourage transit use.
The Planning Board asked the applicant to continue coordinating with the town engineer on stormwater design because the site is close to the harbor and in a wellhead‑recharge area. The applicant agreed to review alternative infiltration/pre-treatment measures where practicable.
Why it matters: The approval adds mixed‑use density in Mid‑Island and creates several year‑round residential units while preserving a neighborhood business. The site‑plan conditions are meant to balance housing capacity with neighborhood and water‑quality protections.
Next steps: Applicant to finalize the landscape and drainage plans with staff and to take required steps with the Historic District Commission; construction timing will follow those approvals.
