Coffee shop plan dunked by Selectmen
Published on May 19th, 2004
STONEHAM, MA - In the seemingly endless saga of one petitioner's desire to place a Dunkin' Donuts/Baskin Robbins at 128 Franklin Street, the newly constituted Board of Selectmen finally came to an end result.
But it wasn't the outcome the petitioner was hoping for. With Selectmen Tony Kennedy and Cosmo Ciccarello voting against the project, the site plan failed without the required four votes.
"They have met the minimum requirements at the site," said Franklin Street resident Bob Fields. "But the biggest issue that this is about is the overwhelming negative impact that this business would have on the neighborhood if built here."
The Selectmen had continued the site plan hearing so that new Board member John DePinto could hear the full site plan, and allow the full board to vote on the issue.
Attorney Charlie Houghton laid out the changes and alterations implemented during the lengthy public hearing process, including changing the structure plan as well as the flow of traffic.
"The conclusion of the original traffic study concluded that we didn't have enough parking," said Houghton. " We went back to the drawing board and we've addressed that, we've complied with every department head's requests...it's one that fits into the character of the town and neighborhood and we've taken great pains to make it that way."
Houghton outlined 800 square feet of office space for the Mac's Landscaping Business, 2072 square feet for the 30-seat Dunkin' Donuts/Baskin Robbins eatery. Houghton further described that the petitioner has gone above and beyond by planning for 23 parking spaces at site, where, according to Houghton, 12 spaces are required.
The re-design of the site created more parking spaces, and created a Franklin Street point of entrance and egress, coupled with a Stevens Street exit point on the side of the site.
At the heart of the issues are the possible traffic snafus waiting on the postage stamp property at the corner of Franklin Street and Stevens Street.
"I think a lot of people will be coming in and out of the Dunkin Donuts project and that's the problem," said Franklin Street resident Rita Wetman.
Countless residents voiced their concerns about kids traveling across the busy Franklin Street to get to the restaurant, the potential hazards of cars zooming in and out of the site, as well as "the fact that it doesn't fit in with the neighborhood", according to more than one abutter.
"It comes down to a traffic problem," said Lawrence Blacker, an attorney present for Gerry McCarthy, the landowner for the proposed Dunkin' Donuts. "You have it, I have it, we all have it and it's not going anywhere."
"The question you have to ask yourselves is if Dunkin Donuts will be a destination spot for those traveling on Franklin Street?" added McCarthy's representative. "The answer is no."
Franklin Street resident Bob Fields took issue with the traffic study taken prior to the full-operation of Kindercare, as well as less cars traveling on Franklin Street during reconstruction work.
According to the VHB traffic consultant, the current Franklin Street site plan was the safest of the internal traffic plans presented to the board.
The Board moved to approve the site plan contingent on a two-year building project with a 5 a.m.--10 p.m. hours of operation stipulation.
Selectman Charlie Smith moved to approve the project, but Selectmen Tony Kennedy and Cosmo Ciccarello voted against the project -- killing the project which needed four votes for approval -- to the applause of a large room of abutters.
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