Published in the July 9, 2015 edition
By MARK SARDELLA
WAKEFIELD — A Board of Appeals hearing scheduled for last night on the Brightview Senior Living facility proposed on Crescent Street was continued to July 29 at the request of the applicant, Shelter Development.
Shelter’s attorney, Brian McGrail, was expected to offer his response last night to a presentation by Brightview opponents at the June 24 ZBA meeting. But McGrail explained that between the July 4 holiday and vacations, he and Shelter had not had ample time to prepare. He requested a special meeting on July 29 dedicated solely to Brightview.
ZBA member Chip Tarbell said that he was fine with a special meeting, noting that it could also serve as a “wrap up” meeting to tie up any loose ends and have a longer dialog among voting members as to the requirements of each Special Permit that the applicant has requested.
With the ZBA process as it relates to Brightview winding down after nine months of twice-monthly hearings, Tarbell also said that once presentations are finished he will likely make a motion to close public testimony at the July 29 meeting.
“I think we’ve heard plenty from both sides,” Tarbell said. “I haven’t heard any new information in a long time.”
The July 29 special ZBA meeting will begin at 7:30 p.m. at Town Hall.
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With new tenants coming in, some guidance from the Board of Appeals and a lot of cash invested by owner Michael Casoli, the Greenwood Plaza is slowly but surely getting a facelift.
The ZBA last night approved a Special Permit that will allow “Lapels Dry Cleaning” to open a dry cleaning and laundry operation in the retail plaza on Main Street in Greenwood. The board also began the discussion of signage for the business but continued that discussion to its Aug. 26 meeting.
Signage for “Feng’s,” a 124-seat Chinese restaurant slated to open in Greenwood Plaza was also discussed. Casoli told the board that Feng’s owner would now like to put fire pits in the outside seating area. Board members told Casoli and his attorney Brian McGrail that the already approved plans would need to be updated to show the fire pits and the ZBA will consider approving the change at its Aug. 26 meeting.
The board also approved the outside lighting for Feng’s sign but assigned member Jim McBain to work with Casoli and McGrail on the details of the signage and the façade to be presented for approval at the Aug. 26 meeting.
The ZBA approved a new sign for the front façade of Greenwood Wine & Spirits, a longtime business in the plaza. Casoli said that he had removed the old awning/sign that had wrapped around the front and south-facing side of the business. Casoli tried to convince the ZBA to allow new signs to be placed on both the front and the side but the board was adamant that it would only allow a sign on the front.
The ZBA approved the sign for the front facade subject to receiving a new submittal detailing the depth of the letters and well as a cut sheet on the lighting for the new sign.
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The ZBA approved new signage for “The Smoke Shop” (formerly Towne News, 231 North Ave.) Representing the owner, NAVYA, LLC, attorney McGrail presented plans to the ZBA that he said had already been approved by the Sign Review Board.
The plans call for a 13.5 foot long sign in the shape of a cigar on the upper front façade as well as a projecting bracket sign. The latter will hang over the side of the building once occupied by Bill’s Lock & Key. The Smoke Shop has expanded into that space.
The board also discussed and approved the location and arrangement of the “Lottery, “ATM” and “OPEN” signs that will be placed in the front windows.
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The board heard and discussed a revised Operations and Maintenance Plan submitted in connection with relief sought by McLellan and Sons at 1 New Salem St. The concrete company is seeking a Variance and finding that will allow the business to upgrade its manufacturing processes.
McGrail updated the request for relief to include the replacement of a portion of one of the plants on the site. He said that the owner was working to put together the construction schedule that the board had requested.
McGrail asked for the board’s OK to go ahead and draft a decision in anticipation of closing at the board’s Aug. 26 meeting.
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The ZBA approved Liberty Mazda’s request to take town a “Body Shop” sign and replace it with a sign reading “Service” at the 81 Bay State Rd. car dealership.
Abutter Roger Cooper related to the board some of his concerns, including screening trees that were planted as a result of an earlier ZBA decision but have since died or been removed.
McGrail said that he and Liberty reps would work with Cooper to try to address his concerns.
