By K.B. Sherman, Contributing Writer
Westborough – As reported in the Community Advocate last week, Grafton residents recently received notice from the town Planning Board of a new conventional/flexible development to be built at 88 Adams Road in Grafton on eastward into Westborough: Major Residential Special Permit and Preliminary Plan, by Steven Venincasa of Casa Builders and Developers Corporation, PO BOX 1205, Westborough MA 01581. (https://www.communityadvocate.com/2016/03/12/new-development-proposed-for-grafton-and-westborough-border/). The Grafton plan shows a 71- acre, 39-house R40 development.
According to Westborough Town Manager Jim Robbins the town will be officially addressing this plan in the near future. He said that the Westborough portion of this development will involve either conventional lots of 50,000 square feet each or much smaller quarter-acre lots through special permit. Abutters in Westborough may include those along Nash Street, Appleseed Drive, and Harvest Way. The number of lots is yet to be determined. There will be three phases to the Westboro plan: The Concept Plan, the Preliminary Plan, and the Definition Phase. The Preliminary Plan will not involve a notice to abutters and will determine if the development will be either conventional or through special permit. The final Definition Phase will involve abutter notification and a public hearing and may involve joint hearings with both Westboro and Grafton representatives.
Regarding a planned development between neighboring Grafton and Westborough, Robbins said that while most details may differ regarding lot sizes and lay-out, the roadways, sewer system, and wastewater plans must be coordinated and once accepted cannot again be changed. The Grafton side may have access to town water through the water main down Adams Road but not to town sewer. The Westborough side has access to both and the topography in Westborough makes town sewer use perhaps more likely.
The Grafton Planning Board will hold its first public hearing on this project on March 28 at 7:30 p.m. in Conference Room A at the Grafton Memorial Municipal Building, to consider an application for a special permit and site plan approval for “The Ridings.” Westborough residents may call the Westborough Planning Board at 508-366 3055.
