It was a night of continuances, but the Site Plan Review hearing for a 68-unit, age 55 and over, senior-living apartment building at 22 Cranberry Highway within Rochester Crossroads drew most of the Rochester Planning Board’s attention Tuesday night.
Joseph Sanda, representing developer Ken Steen Realty, said this plan is a revision of the original master plan for the development site. The original plan was for 208 senior units, he explained. Under the revision, that plan now includes an apartment building with 68 units for residents ages 55 and up on a 24,000-square-foot lot that would include a full septic system, a drainage network, underground utilities, site lighting, and surface parking.
Sanda described a long driveway “aisle” that will include curb cuts allowing common access for others that will build within the development parcel. He then listed the regulatory waivers Steen is requesting for his site-plan-approval permit. These include that the project needs a smaller separation between the stormwater and septic system and cannot accommodate the 10-foot vegetative buffer that town Zoning Regulations require.
The board ultimately continued this hearing until its next (September 23) meeting as it awaits more finalized details from Steen. But first, Planning Board Chair Arnold Johnson expressed concern over what this new plan will do to the Seasons Corner Market access road there that already sees traffic congestion. “Is that road being shifted?” he asked. Steen answered that this new road is not being built for this project but will be needed eventually. Johnson said he wanted that access point to go away now. Steen agreed to construct it but completely block it off.
A resident of 617 County Road, a close abutter, said her concern was the increased, dangerous traffic conditions this project will create. She also noted the dangerous construction debris already there that attracts her six- and eight-year-old grandchildren to play on. “I’m stuck in the middle of this,” she said. Johnson suggested a temporary construction fence be built. Steen said he is willing to construct one.
The board also continued its hearing on the Definitive Subdivision application to permit turning an 8.67-acre parcel at 19 County Road into three lots, a plan to retain the existing house lot and create two new lots for additional four-bedroom residential housing. Upon the petitioner’s request, this hearing will be delayed until October 14.
The board continued to September 23 its hearing on the request to approve a modification of the Definitive Subdivision Plan permit for the previously approved Snipatuit Pond Estates at Gerrish and Bishop roads. The plan here is to swap two parcels of open space to create a 3.578-acre buildable lot on one of them. Johnson informed the petitioner’s attorney that the board needs to see the appraisal cost of that swap to make sure it is of equitable value to both sides.
In other action, the board again continued to its next meeting the Special Permit and Site Plan Review hearing for the proposal from Logging Swamp Solar to install a ground-mounted, large-scale solar array at 600 Snipatuit Road and its other large-scale solar project hearing for the construction of a floating and ground-mounted solar array at 53 Dexter Lane. Both had also been continued at the board’s last meeting.
The Rochester Planning Board’s next meeting will be held on Tuesday, September 23 at 7:00 pm at Town Hall, 1 Constitution Way.
Rochester Planning Board
By Michael J. DeCicco