Residents debate proposed project at former candle factory

Northborough - The Zoning Board of Appeals meeting Oct. 27 drew a packed audience waiting to share their thoughts on the potential revised building plan for the property at the former Country Candle. Following a foreclosure, Framingham Cooperative Bank became the owner, and hopes to develop the property with a change in the agreement from an over-55 residential community to a non-age-restricted use. The original plan, first passed at 2002 Town Meeting, had the property as non-conforming senior residential community. Attorney Joseph Antonellis represents Framingham Cooperative Bank and spoke before the board.

    “We can come here tonight seeking to change to what is now a non-conforming use, to another non-confirming use,” he said. “The site is already being disturbed, the change we are requesting from over-55 [years] to under-55 will require no additional or different kind of work on the property. The location of the buildings will basically stay the same, the size, and the units will stay the same. We are not making any additional changes other than the over-55 stipulation.”

    Chief among the concerns is the potential for increased traffic flow as well as additional costs to the town. According to Antonellis’s research, which the legitimacy was questioned by board members, the concerns were unfounded.

    “The impact [on traffic] for an over-55 [residential area] and an under-55 is negligible,” he said. “There is basically no impact in the number of trips generated per day.”

    Residents spoke out for each side during the public hearing, and some talked about the importance of getting something done with the abandoned property.

    “This project’s been going on since 2004 and for the first two years you couldn’t see any work being done,” Paul Ditullio said. “[The bank] is in this predicament mainly by their own fault and it would be nice to get something done.”

    Board member Sandra Landau said that this may be the best chance to have work done on the property.

    “We need to be very careful,” she said. “This may be our only opportunity.”

    Others raised questions and concerns about the bank’s sale price for the condominiums, which is $475,000.

    Other raised concerns that if the age restriction is lifted, families would be faced with children safety issues because of the nearby ponds.

    “We need to consider that that area is not conducive for children,” Marie Nieber said. “There are no places to play.”

    Resident George Pember felt the original vote at the 2002 Town Meeting should be upheld.

    “This was not sold to have a negative impact on the town, but specifically to have a positive impact,” he said. “People who were at the Town Meeting voted on that. This sure wouldn’t have been supported by the neighbors at that time, who are now going to get the shaft if you say, ‘Yeah, go ahead and allow it.’” 

    The board voted to continue the hearing until Tuesday Nov. 24.