Planning commission approves Buckman Brew House special-use permit despite parking and safety objections

The Cabot Planning Commission voted 4–2 to approve a special-use permit for Buckman Brew House after a lengthy public hearing in which residents and business owners debated parking, alley access and the condition of the former firehouse where the business will locate.

The applicant’s representative told the commission the site is in a C1 downtown zoning district and therefore not required to provide off-street parking; staff and the applicant said the city’s count shows 74 public spaces adjacent to the site and the project’s architect estimates the lot could yield roughly 90 spaces after restriping. The applicant said it also negotiated a shared-parking agreement granting access to 34 spaces behind the Annex building as a convenience for patrons.

Supporters urged the commission to approve the project for its economic benefits. "We have people who literally drive 45 minutes to come and purchase their product," said Kirk Wallace, owner of Mother Vine Market, adding that the Buckman team plans to buy from local farms. Bart Petre, who vends at the Cabot farmers market, noted a lighted crosswalk already serves weekend market traffic and argued the site’s pedestrian infrastructure is used regularly.

Opponents said parking remains a practical and legal concern and raised additional safety and remediation questions. "Parking is a major issue in this area," Patrick Malikian, owner of Malikian Law Firm, told the commission; he presented historic lease documents he said show nearby railroad-leased lots were intended for specific downtown buildings rather than general public use. Phil Robinson, a former firefighter who spent years in the old station, said the property is not the right site for the proposed capacity and expressed concern about long-term impacts on neighboring businesses.

Residents also asked about hazardous-material remediation. "When you pull up those tiles, asbestos is airborne," said Scarlet Malikian, co-owner of the Malikian firm, urging the commission to confirm how and when the building was remediated; Buckman representatives said the interior had been gutted before they inspected it and that any active remediation had been performed earlier and should be verifiable by the city.

Commissioners discussed whether C1 zoning removes parking minimums while also acknowledging the commission’s ability to consider impacts under special-use review. After public comment, a motion to approve passed on roll call: Commissioners Low, Kak, Prader and Bird voted yes; Commissioners Owin and Dearman voted no. The chair declared the motion passed.

The approval carries conditions and standard building-permit and licensing requirements; commissioners said infrastructure issues raised in public comment (alley repairs, ADA access, and any remediation documentation) remain matters for permitting, construction plans and, when applicable, coordination with city staff.

The public hearing continued to the next agenda item after the vote.