The Planning Board at its four-hour meeting Monday night heard abutters’ concerns about a proposed 13-unit mixed-use development in the downtown business district. It would encompass BoMain Pizza Bar & Grill at 14 Main Street, the land behind the restaurant and a single-family home at 10 Walcott Street.

During its presentation, the development team for applicant Capital Group Properties stressed that there would be no changes to BoMain, its parking area or the Walcott Street home. It proposed 13 condominiums on the northern end of the three-parcel lot that would be split between two buildings. One unit would be affordable.

The three properties were combined into one lot by the Planning Board last December, chair Matthew Wronka explained. Hearings concerning this lot included a major site plan review, a request for two special permits and a stormwater management permit. All were continued by an 8-0 vote.

Developer presents condo concept

Attorney David Click spoke first on behalf of the applicant. He explained that this project is being proposed for land that mostly falls under the MBTA Communities zoning overlay district. Construction of the two buildings would occur at the southern end of the lot.

He said that 14 Main Street and the “raw land” behind the restaurant’s parking lot are considered part of the MBTA zoning’s downtown subdistrict. While this subdistrict does not include the 10 Walcott Street home, Click said the Board of Appeals approved multifamily unit development on the combined lot on June 30.

Each proposed unit would have 1,800 square-feet of livable space. There would be two bedrooms in each unit as well as a “flex room” that could be used as an office or a bedroom. There would be a living room, dining room and kitchen. Garage parking would include a space for cars or bikes.

One concern Click said had been raised previously by abutters was the proposed seven off-street parking spaces on Claflin Street. Click said they could be removed.

Engineer Kevin Dandrade, a principal at TEC Inc., told the board that Claflin Street was the proposed entrance and exit point for the development. A traffic survey TEC prepared showed a traffic increase of an estimated 82 total trips per day in and out of the development. Abutters later rejected the total because of the number of units.

Traffic would flow from Claflin Street to Walcott Street and then onto Route 85, Click added.

A preliminary peer review was performed by Weston & Sampson and issued the day of the meeting.

Residents, members fear impact to Claflin Street

Claflin Street residents spoke out about the traffic flow onto their dead-end street. They noted that it is already narrow. They claimed proposed new sidewalks would worsen traffic flow and suggested an entrance off Main Street between BoMain and Town Hall instead.

Abutter Sarah Brophy said she was “greatly concerned” about the traffic study results. She anticipated a higher traffic volume, which other residents echoed.

Bernie Mitchell, who also resides on Claflin Street, mentioned current issues with pooling water on the site affecting his home. He said the addition of impermeable surfacing would compound the problem.

Vice chair Lucia Lopez questioned whether the development team considered using Main Street as the entrance and Claflin Street as the egress. Attorney Angelo Catanzaro explained that the easement between BoMain and Town Hall would not allow this. He said that “it doesn’t make sense” for condo residents to travel through the easement and a commercial parking lot to get to their homes.

Member Rob Benson noted that he believed the development is supposed to have two affordable units under the zoning bylaw. He also didn’t understand why the easement couldn’t be used and asked for further clarification.

A site walk was planned for Sept. 13 at 9 a.m.. The proposal will be revisited at the Planning Board’s Sept. 14 meeting.