Canton planning board approves site plan for Governor Street mixed-use building

The Canton Village Planning Board voted to approve a site plan for a proposed mixed-use building on Governor Street after a presentation from the project representative and a short review of the plans.

Chair Barry Walsh opened the item and said the board’s guiding aim is to bring more business to Canton: "I want as much business in Canton as we can get," he said. A project representative described the parcel (formerly AAA Lumber) and said the proposal is primarily for office/service work (mortgage, underwriting and insurance services) with a mixed-use first floor that could include an event space. The representative identified himself as the brothers’ executive assistant and said the brothers purchased the land to bring business back to their hometown.

Board members and the applicant discussed scale and build sequencing: the project is planned as a two-story building with a walkout cellar and the third floor framed but not finished unless demand warrants. The applicant said the parcel is roughly 1.8 acres and that the current plan keeps impervious surfaces well below the cited coverage threshold; the board referenced a 30% coverage figure as the relevant yardstick during the review. The applicant also noted parking demand may be low for daytime operations because much of the work would be remote-servicing, and the county planner will refine parking layout when he returns from vacation.

Floodplain, drainage and stormwater prevention were raised and addressed: the applicant said base flood elevations were shown on the survey and reviewed by the county floodplain coordinator, and elevations on the plan run approximately "345 to 362" and "363 ft" in the discussion. The plans include a construction-era berm and silt fence and the board confirmed a Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) is in place for the site.

Materials and site details noted in the review include LP SmartSide siding and architectural shingles for the exterior. The board also reviewed the curb cut and driveway access onto Route 11 (the driveway already exists from the prior use) and advised the applicant to check with state DOT only if work in the right of way is proposed. Utilities discussed included water, sewer and electric hookups; the applicant said gas is likely to be used for heating.

The board discussed code items the applicant must confirm at final plan review: signage requires a separate sign permit and is governed by the local sign code; lighting should be downcast to limit off-site glare; and fire-code implications for the proposed event space remain unresolved. The planner and chair said the building’s height as proposed likely does not trigger mandatory sprinklers, but assembly-area and total-area thresholds could require fire-suppression measures and will be revisited at final plan review.

After completing the review, Chair Walsh "entertained a motion to approve this site plan as presented." A board member seconded, and the motion passed on a voice vote. The board recorded the approval without specific stipulations; Aaron, the county planner, will return to refine parking layout. The board also scheduled a county planning briefing to discuss restrictive zoning and options to incorporate residential and affordable housing into local zoning for Tuesday, March 3 at 6 p.m.

The planning board adjourned after brief additional conversation about modular housing and local code practice. Final building permits and any outstanding fire-code or permit conditions will be determined during the village’s subsequent permit and final-plan review process.