Hearing continued after criticism from board
By Melissa Muntz Community Reporter

Shrewsbury - Tensions ran high as proponents for a planned Value Place extended stay hotel, including company President David Redfern, defended their project during a three-hour public hearing before the Planning Board Oct. 11.

Value Place would off er accommodations to guests that would last anywhere from one week to several months or more. The proposed location for the new hotel is at the corner of Route 9 and Lake Street, which was rezoned from residential to commercial property by Town Meeting last year.

The board and the Value Place team, headed by local attorney Kevin Byrne, debated whether an apartment hotel should be considered a proper use for the location based on site's restrictive covenant prohibiting all residential uses, the need for possible improvements to the intersection of Lake Street and Route 9, and the design of the building itself.

"We're very proud of what we've done [with the Lake Way district] and we don't want an ugly building sitting on top of it," Planning Board Chair Melvin Gordon said. "This is an ugly building."

At a hearing last month, the board had asked Value Place to give the 121-room, 40,000-square-foot hotel a more New England facade, however board members said minor improvements to the design were not enough.

The board had also hoped that the proponents would be willing to make improvements to the intersection that are not deemed necessary by MassHighway, but would align the two sides of Lake Street and hopefully improve traffic flow at the site.

Value Place traffic consultant Bob Michaud, of Marlborough based MDM Transportation Consultants, argued that MassHighway determined work to the intersection would not impact efficiency, and that retiming traffic lights would be more successful in improving traffic flow.

When Gordon responded by saying MassHighway is not Shrewsbury, Byrne replied.

"MassHighway said this work is not necessary or required," Byrne said. "You are now bordering on arbitrary and capricious and you are probably inviting litigation," which, Byrne said, was something that all parties were hoping to avoid.

Byrne said improvements to the intersection would take an inordinate amount of time and cost hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Michaud said Value Place was committed to improving the intersection in terms of pedestrian traffic by making improvements to existing sidewalks, crosswalks and pedestrian traffic controls, addressing concerns about increased pedestrian traffic generated by the site.

This increased foot traffic was one of three concerns outlined in a memo from Shrewsbury Police Chief James J. Hester that was read into the record at the meeting.

Hester's memo stated he also worried about child safety and a possible increase in car break-ins associated with the location.

Value Place hotels are often promoted as a place for people in transition, moving to the area or waiting for renovations to a home to be completed. Hester said the site plan includes no playground facilities for children staying at the hotel, and he is worried about the unsafe situation which would be caused by children playing in the parking lot.

Hester's last concern was about increased car break-ins at the site.

In addition, dozens of people attended the hearing, and all who spoke up spoke against the proposal.

Among the concerns listed by residents were increased traffic and noise at the site, wastewater management, the impact the four-story hotel would have on nearby property values and the overall decrease in quality of life the hotel would have on its neighbors.

"This is invasive. There's nothing you can do to make this appealing to us," said Joe Simon, who lives on nearby Edgewood Road. "It's a sad day when this building goes up."

The public hearing was continued before Value Place had an opportunity to respond to the residents' concerns.

Byrne said Value Place would be prepared to address board concerns at the next public hearing, scheduled for Thursday Nov. 1 at 7 p.m.