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Planning board approves curb cut at 180 Asbury Street, limits placed on stone-wall disturbance
Summary
The Hamilton Planning Board approved Tyler and Megan Swaim’s request to disturb part of a stone wall and add a second driveway curb cut at 180 Asbury Street for safety and accessibility reasons, subject to conditions including a DPW street-opening permit and limits on stone relocation; two members abstained.
The Hamilton Planning Board voted July 21 to approve an application from Tyler and Megan Swaim to disturb a portion of a stone wall on Asbury Street and install a second driveway curb cut at 180 Asbury Street, citing the applicants’ safety concerns about limited sight lines.
The board approved the application subject to three staff-drafted conditions: the applicants must obtain a street-opening permit from the Department of Public Works before work begins; disturbance of the existing stone wall must be limited to what is necessary for construction and all impacted stones must be relocated at least four feet from the pavement edge; and any future expansion of the driveway beyond what was outlined in the application will require advance review and reapproval by the planning board.
"Our request is based off of one primary concern and that is safety," said Megan Swaim, who told the board vehicles travel above the 30 mph limit on the sharp curve near her driveway and said the proposal would improve sight lines and accessibility for pedestrians, strollers and people using mobility devices.
Board members pressed applicants about alternatives and geometric limits for the proposed semicircular driveway. Several members with site-design experience warned that tight circular driveways can be impractical, require more paving and often are later removed. One member suggested moving a single curb cut or negotiating pruning across the street as less disruptive alternatives.
Mark, the planning director, read the draft conditions into the record and recommended applicants coordinate with town departments before work begins. Neighbors and other residents also spoke: an adjacent property owner described repeated winter skid incidents on the curve and encouraged the Swaims to consult police accident records to document safety concerns.
On the roll call vote the board recorded four ayes and two abstentions: Jonathan Poor, Darcy Dale, Matt Hamill and Martie Crouch voted aye; Bill Wheaton and Amel Dahlquist abstained. The chair noted the abstentions signal unresolved concerns and urged the applicants to consult DPW and police about sight lines and speed enforcement before final construction.
The approval grants the applicants permission to proceed under the board’s conditions; the board did not authorize any expansion beyond the scope described in the application without further review.
The planning director said staff will follow up on permitting steps and incorporate the conditions into the permit record, and applicants were advised to return to staff with any revised drawings before starting work.
