The Conservation Commission on Tuesday night continued a hearing regarding the proposed UniBank/Starbucks parking lot expansion, but not before giving negative feedback to the applicant about the plan’s feasibility.

Jessica Smith, a wetland scientist with Goddard Consulting, presented the application for three additional parking spaces for the commercial parking lot at 85-89 West Main Street. The one-acre parcel is located at the corner of West Main Street and Lumber Street. The small but popular shopping plaza is occupied by UniBank, Starbucks, Verizon and a nail salon. The original proposal presented in June sought four spaces.

Smith said “slivers” would be taken from two landscape islands for the parking spaces.

“The project represents a minor increase in impervious surface,” she explained, noting that it was less than 1% of the lot. This would not impact the existing stormwater system’s ability to handle runoff.

Chair Melissa Recos noted that when the plaza originally was permitted, “it was pretty maxed out.”

“I don’t see a reason to make a change here,” she said.

Smith and project engineer Andrew Steiner disagreed. They stressed that the smaller businesses contacted property owner Samara Solan about the need for more parking. Solan added that employees take up at least 10 of the lot’s spaces.

Steiner said the site is “congested.” The proposed spaces for the 41-space lot would be for compact cars. There would be a 266-square-foot increase in parking area.

“This is incredibly, in my opinion, poorly planned [and] overly filled with buildings with the amount of land area that’s there,” said member Ed Harrow. Adding three more spaces would make it “even more absurd.”

Member Jim Ciriello agreed. He noted that the Planning Board should never have approved the design for this plaza. He noted it was grandfathered in because the Golden Spoon restaurant previously was located there.

He recalled the efforts by the Conservation Commission when the plaza originally was approved. It was stressed then that no further modifications would be allowed.

Civil engineer Victor Teglasi also represented the applicant. He noted that Solan is not the original property owner and was not involved in what he called an “erroneous” calculation of the number of parking spaces needed for patrons and employees.

Teglasi also feared the smaller businesses would leave because their customers complained about insufficient parking. He mentioned the tax revenue the businesses generate for the town.

“We didn’t do the calculations when the original development was approved,” he continued. “And we feel the town had a role in this.”

Recos acknowledged the team’s “frustrations.” But she stressed that the commission went through an arduous process with the original developer about the design.

She added that developers sometimes put themselves in “self-imposed corners.” Another point she made was that the commission’s charge is to protect wetlands and resource areas.

“It doesn’t look like the commission is going to approve this project,” said Teglasi.

Recos said commissioners will review the submitted information and continue the hearing until its next meeting on Aug. 5. Commissioners voted 5-0 for the continuance.

North Mill Street hearing continued

The commission also continued two hearings in 5-0 votes on 12 North Mill Street after a protracted discussion with developer Lou Petrozzi of Wall Street Development. Petrozzi sought a notice of intent for a single-family house and access for related soil testing.

Petrozzi has had a contentious relationship with the commission in recent years. A three-unit subdivision he developed on Leonard Street has experienced stormwater management issues since July 2021. An intermittent stream was not shown on plans submitted in February 2024 for 12 North Mill Street.

There also is a history of paperwork not being filed in a timely manner and fines being imposed on Petrozzi by the town in 2023. Petrozzi at that time threatened to reopen litigation against the town.

Petrozzi submitted two plans for the commission’s review. He noted that the Board of Appeals approved a variance that allows for a 30-foot front setback line from Leonard Street rather than the required 60 feet if the house is located at the front of the lot. The plans listed this setback as 40 feet. Petrozzi apologized for sending the wrong plans.

The second plan showed the lot and the septic system at the lot’s rear. They are connected by a driveway. A box culvert would cross the intermittent stream.

“I know this is going to be a difficult lot to permit,” Petrozzi said. “But I throw those options out for the commission to discuss.”

Recos noted that consultant fees for a peer review had not yet been received. Petrozzi questioned which plan would be reviewed. He noted the money he spent during the previous review process of resource areas, and he found this estimated review fee of $2,950 “excessive.”

Wetlands consultant Joe Orzell said the proposed stream crossing would be reviewed, as well as the location of the house with respect to buffer zones.

Petrozzi countered that there are “abuses that are going on with the peer review process” in Hopkinton and other communities regarding the amount of money charged to developers.

Recos said she thought the plan with the house at the front of the lot would be preferable. But because it is in the 50-foot buffer zone, she believed it would be hard to approve.

Petrozzi argued that the project received a “superseding order of conditions” under wetlands regulations from the state’s Department of Environmental Protection about 25 years ago. He later said that he went to the Massachusetts Superior Court for an appeal of the local bylaw.

Recos asked Petrozzi to present the plan he believed would have a better chance of approval under the town bylaw.

Bruce Holmgren, whose home abuts the property, said he was concerned about how this project would affect water runoff onto his land. He currently experiences “intense periodic flooding.”

Abutter Dave Shea gave a PowerPoint presentation showing how much the intermittent stream swells during rain events near his home.

The hearings were continued to the Aug. 19 meeting.

Lot release at The Trails OK’d

Vin Gately, the owner of The Trails, asked the commission to release eight lots for development. The request was approved by a 5-0 vote.

There was a cease-and-desist order in place after stormwater runoff caused damage to Wood Street. Recos noted that stormwater management practices have been effective in recent months.