Montvale Plaza plans coming to fruition
Published on October 21st, 1998
STONEHAM, MA -The grand building on Montvale Avenue which has been the source of much debate by residents and board members in recent months appears, finally, to have a solid buyer and on-the-level plans for its future.
At Tuesday's Board of Selectmen meeting, Marty Murphy, new owner of Montvale Plaza, told the board through his attorney, Steven Cicatelli, that the facility would continue to be used for functions such as weddings, showers and reunions.
Murphy was forced to appear before the board in order to request a transfer of the establishment's liquor license, a request which was granted after some debate. Most of the debate was caused when Attorney Charles Houghton, representing the owner of Montvale Place, questioned the parking plans for the facility.
Cicatelli explained to board members that approximately 85 spaces would be provided on the site. In addition, the service of a valet service would be contracted by Murphy in order to ensure that the long-standing problem of Montvale Plaza patrons parking parking on Montvale Avenue would be resolved.
Houghton requested that Murphy tender contracts to the town specifying where the valet service would park these cars. Cicatelli explained that this precaution would be taken and added that discussions are currently being held with area property owners in search of available lot space.
The board voted unanimously in favor of the license transfer.
This latest action appears to have put to rest speculation of a fitness center and, more interestingly, an exotic dance club, bot of which had been proposed for the site in the past.
In other board business, Fairlane Road residents were successful in their attempt to have the town incur costs for reconstruction of the roadway in order to bring it up to code for acceptance as a public way.
The road was accepted by virtue of a vote at May's Annual Town Meeting, but residents complained that the wording of the article which was voted upon and the one currently in the books, which specifies that upgrading costs be incurred by residents of the street, differ.
Several residents were in attendance to explain that the road had passed inspection by town officials in 1971 and had been forwarded for town acceptance. This acceptance never came about, however, forcing residents to appear before the town 27 years later for a similar action.
After some discussion, board members voted in favor of incurring the cost for upgrading, estimated at $2,000. The final decision, however, will have to be made at the 1999 Annual Town Meeting due to the length of time which has elapsed between May's town meeting and the board's vote on Tuesday.
The board voted for favorable action on a bylaw which will be up for vote at Monday's Special Town Meeting and is proposed by the Board of Health.
This bylaw would mandate that trash be put out by residents no sooner than 5 p.m. on the day prior to pick-up.
Board of Health Chairman Michael Rolli explained that this bylaw is proposed because several residents in the Robin Hood area have complained that their neighbors put their trash out days prior to their pick-up day.
"What you really want to do is have something with some teeth in it," Rolli said of the bylaw."But, if (residents) put it out at 4 o'clock (on the previous day), we're not going to be on top of them."
The board approved Stoneham Towing's site plan after much discussion about the interim building inspector's opinion on the lot's new layout.
Attorney Cicatelli, representing the property owner, Stephen Mazzola, explained that the purpose of the 1,940 square foot addition to the building would be to bring storage of the tow vehicles indoors. This, he said, would reduce the fumes and noise that neighbors have experienced in the past.
Interim Building Inspector Gene Argiro explained that he believed the new parking layout containing 33 spaces would be insufficient for the amount of vehicles which could be on the property at one time. He also suggested that an irrigation system be installed for the small amount of landscaped land shown on the plans. Also, he suggested that the plastic barrier which is to be installed on the surrounding fence be upgraded in order to better shield residents from the lot.
Cicatelli and Mazzola agreed to upgrade the shielding, but refused to put an irrigation system in for the minimal landscaping. Cicatelli also explained that parking would be sufficient on the site and, if it was later deemed to be insufficient, off-site parking could be leased.
After hearing favorable recommendations from neighbors of the Gould Street property, the board voted unanimously in favor of site plan approval.
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