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The Planning Board and Zoning Board of Appeals heard the application jointly at a duly advertised and noticed joint hearing on April 8, 2013 at 7:00 PM in the Hingham Town Hall at 210 Central Street.  Members of the Planning Board present were: Judy Sneath, Chairman; William Ramsey, Clerk; Paul Healey and Sarah Corey.  The Board of Appeals panel consisted of its members: Joseph Fisher, Chairman; Tod McGrath, Clerk; and David Anderson.

Kate’s Table (Petitioner) was represented by Kate Driscoll Papaleoni, owner and chef and Bob Shepard of Shepard Investments, LLC, and property owner.

Project Description and Findings

The Applicant proposes to lease a 905 s.f. space, using 705 s.f. for a commercial catering kitchen and 200 s.f. for take-out/retail service and event planning. 

Kate Coplioni is a chef and co-owner, and Kelly Griffin is the events coordinator/ planner and the other co-owner.  Ms. Coplioni stated that she has been cooking for 17 years, and that Ms. Griffin has been an event planner for 20 years.  Their intent is to have a full catering kitchen to be able to service clients around the South Shore or anywhere in Massachusetts with all of their events needs, and to also have a small retail space to do some prepared foods for take-out.  Their plan is to begin offering lunch and dinner, both adult and child portions packaged to go. 

The hours will be 10:30 AM to 7:00 PM, five days a week to start, and Tuesday through Saturday for the retail portion.  The owners’ would probably be there on Sundays working.

A stamped parking plan was presented. Property Manager Mr. Shepard informed the Board that there are twenty-seven (27) uncommitted spaces to-date, which is sustainably greater than Section V-A of the Zoning By-Law requirement of four (4) spaces for the proposed business, which is also, benefiting from a 20% reduction because it is located in the Downtown Overlay District.  The parking lot will function exactly as it functions today.

Board members reviewed the project in accordance with the Site Plan Criteria contained in Section I-I (6) as follows:

a.           protection of abutting properties against detrimental uses by provision for surface water drainage, fire hydrant locations, sound and site buffers, and preservation of views, light and air, and protection of abutting properties from negative impacts from artificial outdoor site lighting;

The Board concurred that, as proposed, the project complies with all use and intensity regulations, and will not result in adverse impacts on abutting properties subject to the following conditions: 1) the exterior light go off by 10:00 PM and 2) the pick-up of the shared dumpster will not be before 7:00 AM.

b.           convenience and safety of vehicular and pedestrian movement within the site and on adjacent streets; the location of driveway openings in relation to traffic or to adjacent streets, taking account of grades, sight distances and distances between such driveway entrances, exits and the nearest existing street or highway intersections; sufficiency of access for service, utility and emergency vehicles;

Not applicable

c.       adequacy of the arrangement of parking, loading spaces and traffic patterns in relation to the proposed uses of the premises; compliance with the off-street parking requirements of this By-Law;

In accordance with the Off-Street Parking requirements set forth in Section V-A of the Zoning By-law, which includes the 20% parking reduction because of the property being located in the Downtown Overlay District, the project requires 4 parking spaces.  Currently, the property has twenty-seven (27) available parking spaces.

All deliveries will be made at the loading dock area as indicated on the above referenced plan.

d.      adequacy of open space and setbacks, including adequacy of landscaping of such areas;

Not applicable

e.   adequacy of the methods of disposal of refuse and other wastes resulting from the uses permitted on the site;

In accordance with Board of Health Regulations.

f.    prevention or mitigation of adverse impacts on the Town's resources, including, without limitation, water supply, wastewater facilities, energy and public works and public safety resources;

Not applicable

g. assurance of positive stormwater drainage and snow-melt run-off from buildings, driveways and from all parking and loading areas on the site, and prevention of erosion, sedimentation and stormwater pollution and management problems through site design and erosion controls in accordance with the most current versions of the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection's Stormwater Management Policy and Standards, and Massachusetts Erosion and Sediment Control Guidelines.

Not applicable

h.   protection of natural and historic features including minimizing: the volume of cut and fill, the number of removed trees of 6 inches caliper or larger, the removal of stone walls, and the obstruction of scenic views from publicly accessible locations;

Not applicable

i.   minimizing unreasonable departure from the character and scale of buildings in the vicinity or as previously existing on or approved for the site.

Not applicable

Decision and Vote

It was moved, seconded and SO VOTED to grant Site Plan approval for the Application and the above referenced plan for the 905 s.f. commercial kitchen with take-out/retail in a portion of the building at 99 South Street, in Business District A subject to the following conditions:

1. The exterior light go off by 10:00 PM.

1. The pick-up of the shared dumpster will not be between the hours of 9:00 PM and 7:00 AM.

_____________________________

Judith S. Sneath

Chairman, Hingham Planning Board