By Marcia Rasmussen, Concord Director of Planning & Land Management, as posted to the Concord Discussion List on June 12.
The following is my report to the West Concord Task Force, made at their meeting on June 8th, per the direction of the Town Manager and Board of Selectmen.
On Tuesday, June 2, I met with developer Ross Hamlin to discuss his interest in the West Concord Chrysler dealership property and the adjacent properties that make up the southern block of Commonwealth Ave./Laws Brook Road (from Bradford Street to Maple Street); he
indicated that he had or was working on getting these properties under agreement. I noted that Mr. Hamlin was the developer responsible for the "life-style" shopping center on Route 2A/119 in Acton several years ago (where Trader Joe's and Pier 1 Import are located) and in 2008 proposed development in Wayland of the Lee's Farmstand site.
Mr. Hamlin is interested in developing the entire block on Commonwealth Ave. with a mixed use that includes retail (local or regional, not a national chain and not a drug store), restaurant and residential (80 units?) with constructed parking for approx. 200 vehicles. He envisions
a structure that is within the current height limitation of 35 feet. He does not want to develop something like the Acton shopping center, but something more suited to West Concord. He has not hired any architect, planner or landscape architect to prepare a design. He did not go into detail about the development of the large lot across from this site, but spoke of the potential for improved circulation and parking and indicated that he had been talking to Nick Boynton about the Beharrell Street area.
I discussed with Mr. Hamlin the current West Concord master plan effort that is just getting started and the Interim Overlay Planning District that was adopted at Town Meeting; the limitations on wastewater capacity at this time and the work that is being done to identify solutions and options; and the rezoning that would need to occur to allow the level of
development that he is proposing. He was interested in the potential for 40R zoning (yes, this zoning would require 2/3 approval by Town Meeting) that could provide the Town with a one-time influx of funds ($100,000+).
I suggested that he may be interested in participating in the design charrettes, workshops, brainstorming sessions and master plan discussions so he can hear the concerns, issues and potential solutions that are being considered for West Concord by the residents of the
community. He expressed an interest and willingness to participate in the master planning effort.
That is the extent of the conversation to date and the extent of any planning done to date. This is a great opportunity to discuss the potential re-use and redevelopment of a significant site in West Concord in the context of the entire village.
The following is my report to the West Concord Task Force, made at their meeting on June 8th, per the direction of the Town Manager and Board of Selectmen.On Tuesday, June 2, I met with developer Ross Hamlin to discuss his interest in the West Concord Chrysler dealership property and the adjacent properties that make up the southern block of Commonwealth Ave./Laws Brook Road (from Bradford Street to Maple Street); he
indicated that he had or was working on getting these properties under agreement. I noted that Mr. Hamlin was the developer responsible for the "life-style" shopping center on Route 2A/119 in Acton several years ago (where Trader Joe's and Pier 1 Import are located) and in 2008 proposed development in Wayland of the Lee's Farmstand site.
Mr. Hamlin is interested in developing the entire block on Commonwealth Ave. with a mixed use that includes retail (local or regional, not a national chain and not a drug store), restaurant and residential (80 units?) with constructed parking for approx. 200 vehicles. He envisions
a structure that is within the current height limitation of 35 feet. He does not want to develop something like the Acton shopping center, but something more suited to West Concord. He has not hired any architect, planner or landscape architect to prepare a design. He did not go into detail about the development of the large lot across from this site, but spoke of the potential for improved circulation and parking and indicated that he had been talking to Nick Boynton about the Beharrell Street area.
I discussed with Mr. Hamlin the current West Concord master plan effort that is just getting started and the Interim Overlay Planning District that was adopted at Town Meeting; the limitations on wastewater capacity at this time and the work that is being done to identify solutions and options; and the rezoning that would need to occur to allow the level of
development that he is proposing. He was interested in the potential for 40R zoning (yes, this zoning would require 2/3 approval by Town Meeting) that could provide the Town with a one-time influx of funds ($100,000+).
I suggested that he may be interested in participating in the design charrettes, workshops, brainstorming sessions and master plan discussions so he can hear the concerns, issues and potential solutions that are being considered for West Concord by the residents of thecommunity. He expressed an interest and willingness to participate in the master planning effort.
That is the extent of the conversation to date and the extent of any planning done to date. This is a great opportunity to discuss the potential re-use and redevelopment of a significant site in West Concord in the context of the entire village.
