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Habitat site plan review: board asks for clearer landscaping, amenity sizing and bike/parking details
Summary
The board reviewed the continued site-plan (SP2607) for 12 Habitat units at 1720 Spear Street, asking for clarified landscaping tables, tree protection, sidewalk alignment, dumpster screening and bike-storage details; applicants proposed a community garden as the required site amenity and will return with updated drawings on April 21.
Green Mountain Habitat for Humanity and project consultants returned to the DRB with an updated site plan for three four-family buildings on a two-acre lot that would create 12 units. The board focused its review on landscaping, street trees, screening for parking and the placement and type of site amenity.
Project representatives said they will retain existing hedgerow where possible, provide a dedicated civic space in the center of the campus and consider raised beds for a community garden to satisfy the site-amenity requirement. "So that's, we're likely gonna move forward with a community garden space... that's where we got confused..." a project representative said while describing amenity sizing and the differences between the 1,200-square-foot amenity threshold and a larger community garden option.
Staff required more detail on long-term bicycle storage, inverted-U rack counts (two per building), dumpster screening (chain-link with slats is prohibited), tree species mix and required parking-lot shade trees. The board also flagged pedestrian connections and requested the applicant evaluate sidewalk alignment so it ties to the existing network without creating redundant sidewalks.
Resident and Rec & Park Committee member Mike Cimino urged the board and applicant to consider off-site recreational improvements where on-site space is constrained. "I would like to see Hubbard used more dynamically than is currently being supported by our city council," Cimino said, suggesting options to meet neighborhood needs.
The board continued SP2607 to April 21 and instructed the applicant to deliver a full resubmittal with enlarged landscaping and technical details before the continued hearing.
