By Scott MacKeen
Staff Writer
1/21/10
A zoning plan that would allow for commercial development at Temple Shalom would also apply to two other spots in town. As currently written, the zoning proposal that will go before Feb. 22 Special Town Meeting reads: “In a Residence C district on a lot which has at least 500 feet of frontage on a state highway, which contains at least 165,000 square feet, and which contains tax-exempt uses in a building deemed too large for the uses, the Planning Board may grant a special permit for an institutional/commercial planned unit development.”
Curry College, another tax-exempt property on a state highway – Route 138 – would not be included in the zoning because it is in a Residence A district, which is defined under different levels of square footage and frontage, Clark said.
Clark said he is not aware of any plans by either property that would fall under the zoning plan to redevelop their own land.
“In order to attain the density for what the article is asking for, you’d have to tear down [St. Elizabeth’s] church. I haven’t heard anything about that,” he said.
Zoning for the development proposal at Temple Shalom would allow two commercial buildings on the site: a 13,000-square-foot CVS Pharmacy and a 10,000-square-foot grocery store. It also allows for a smaller religious facility to be built, something Temple officials say they need to stay financially viable and remain in Milton.
But top officials are questioning several aspects of the zoning article.
“I don’t care what they call it. This is spot zoning, and it’s bad for the town,” Selectmen Chair John Shields said. “What they’re talking about is the first step in changing the town markedly.”
Shields said his issue with the article is that it is “all-encompassing,” giving the Planning Board authority over how the project might impact traffic and home values in the surrounding neighborhood.
“The Planning Board have set themselves up as traffic commission, assessor, and everything else,” he said. “I disagree with the whole way this thing has been handled from the beginning.”
Shields said any changes to traffic along Route 138 would have to be approved by the Massachusetts Highway Department. He doubted whether they would approve some of the things being proposed as traffic-calming measures.
“They’re not going to set precedent in the state by putting speed bumps on Route 138,” he said.
Selectman Marion McEttrick said the zoning article is not clear as it relates to the Selectmen’s role in the process.
“I think it’s written in an odd way. It certainly needs more clarification,” she said. “It appears to be written as if the Planning Board would make the final decision on what the traffic mitigations should be.”
She said the plan will “absolutely” have to go through Selectmen and Traffic Commission for approval.
In addition, Shields and McEttrick both said any requests for signage for the development will have to go through the Sign Review Committee.
Clark said those scenarios would happen if there is an application from the Temple and the developer for a special permit. That will only occur if Town Meeting accepts the zoning.
“You need an application to vote the project up or down,” he said. “Yes, the Traffic Commission and Selectmen will be involved.”
Clark said it has always been the case on “major projects” for the developer to submit traffic mitigation plans with the Planning Board.
“If you look at any special permit application process, traffic is always part of that,” he said. “We don’t have an application yet. If and when you get that, you can then get the opinions of these different boards.”