SHREWSBURY – A mixed-use development near Lakeway Commons in Shrewsbury is moving forward after it was approved by the Planning Board last month.
Plans for the development, which would be located at 34-36 Harrington Avenue, first went before the planning board in October.
Those original plans called for a 2,000-square-foot retail building and a three-floor apartment building with 16 units.
Developers later reduced the number of units to 14.
Plans for the retail building were also changed to call for a smaller 1,000-square-foot structure, which was shifted to be parallel to Harrington Avenue.
John Grenier of J.M. Grenier Associates, the developer’s civil engineer, noted during a meeting in November that the shift would help the development have a better street presence.
Over the past several months, Planning Board members have asked questions about snow storage and traffic flow within the site. Those questions have since been resolved.
Planning Board waives community facility requirement
In granting its approval back on Jan. 6, the Planning Board waived the requirement of a community facility and a photometric plan, which shows lighting levels.
Shrewsbury’s Director of Planning and Economic Development Bernie Cahill explained that waiver, noting that the overlay district specifying those requirements “[envisioned] these to be really large-scale projects, not 14 units.”
“We’re talking like 40 or 50 units where something like a large playground or something for the community would make sense,” he said.
Cahill noted that there is an outdoor seating area included in current plans.
Approval includes conditions
As one of the conditions of Planning Board approval, the developers will be required to submit a post-development traffic report a year after tenants occupy the retail building and at least 75% of the apartments units.
That report will include information from the Shrewsbury Police Department regarding incidents and complaints along Harrington Avenue and the nearby Whitney Street and Muzzy Avenue and intersections.
Planning Board Chair Steven Boulay said the report will determine if any additional traffic controls are needed along Harrington Avenue.
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