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Informal concept for a large delivery‑van parking yard draws planning board concern over traffic, EV charging and neighbors
Summary
Goddard Consulting presented an informal concept for a special permit to allow parking of up to roughly 120 delivery vans on a South Washington Street property; board members raised concerns about traffic queuing, abutter impacts, electric‑vehicle charging and fire safety and asked the applicant to review prior meetings and prepare detailed plans before a formal application.
The Norton Planning Board on July 7 heard an informal concept from Mark Arnold of Goddard Consulting for a special permit that, if applied for, would allow more than 25 vehicles to be parked at a property on South Washington Street (map 20 462).
Arnold said the property has been used previously as a lay‑down yard and that the current concept under discussion would permit a parking arrangement for roughly 120 vans, noting the applicant (Dave Petuk) is in early discussions with Amazon. He described the intended use as a parking/dispatch lot only — no on‑site vehicle maintenance — and said the team is at a pre‑application stage and seeking the board’s feedback before investing in full engineering, traffic and permitting work.
Board members recalled a prior special‑permit application for a similar use that the board denied in an earlier iteration around 2023 and pressed the consultant on likely issues: traffic queuing at peak departure times, the proximity of residences and industrial neighbors across the street, screening (fencing and landscaping), stormwater and the substantial electrical demand if the fleet is electric. The chair and other members emphasized early coordination with the fire department on EV‑charging plans, noting safety concerns about having many electric vans charging or parked together.
Mark Arnold and the team said they would review the board’s prior decision files from 2023, engage with abutters early in the process, and prepare traffic, stormwater and electrical plans if they proceed to a formal special‑permit application. The board did not take a vote; members provided feedback and asked the applicant team to return with a formal application and supporting technical studies if they choose to proceed.
