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TOWN OF HINGHAM

Planning Board

NOTICE OF DECISION
Planning Board
Special Permit A3 (Parking Determination)

IN THE MATTER OF:

Petitioners: Hingham Municipal Lighting Plant

Premises: Off Bare Cove Park Drive at Map 69, Lot 44 Town of Hingham
and known as the "School Tract IV" Parcel
Hingham, MA 02043

Deed Reference: Plymouth County Registry of Deeds, Book 3961, Page 701

Date: November 10, 2014

Site Plan Reference: HINGHAM MUNICIPAL LIGHTING SITE PLANT NEW OPERATIONS CENTER, OWNER: HINGHAM MUNICIPAL LIGHTING PLANT 350 LINCOLN STREET - SUITE 110, HINGHAM, MA 02043, PREPARED BY SYMMES MAINI & MCKEE ASSOCIATES, 100 MASSACHUSSETTS AVE, CAMBRIDGE, MA 02138, Sheet T-1 Dated 4/17/14, revised to 10/17/14; Sheets C-101, 102, 111, 141, 501, 502, 503, & 504 Dated 5/8/14, revised to 10.17/14; Sheet C-121 Dated 5/8/14, revised to 11/4/14; Sheet L-1.1 Dated 5/8/14 revised to 10/29/14; and, Sheets A-3.1 & 3.2 dated 3/14/14 Revised to 10/17/14.
Summary of Proceedings:
This matter came before the Planning Board at regularly scheduled and duly noticed meetings of the Hingham Planning Board on October 20, October 27, and November 3, 2014 in the Hingham Town Hall at 210 Central Street. There was also a posted site walk on November 1, 2014 held at the request of the Planning Board. Members of the Planning Board present were: Gary Tondorf-Dick, Chair, William Ramsey, Sarah Corey, Clerk, and Judy Sneath. Alternate member Richard Cook also sat on this application in place of regular member Walter Sullivan, Jr.

At the hearings the Planning Board heard testimony and reviewed application materials submitted by the Hingham Municipal Light Plant for a Site Plan in Association with a Building Permit, and a Special Permit A3 Parking Determination, with waivers if necessary, under Section V-A Off-Street Parking Regulations of the Town of Hingham Zoning By-law to allow for construction of a 24,000 Operations Center, at property Off Bare Cove Park Drive at Map 69, Lot 44 Town of Hingham and known as the "School Tract IV" Parcel, property zoned Official and Open Space.

The Peer Review Engineer for the Planning Board was Paul Brogna, P.E. of Seacoast Engineering. The Petitioners Team included Jeff Tocchio, Attorney, Drohan Tocchio & Morgan, P.C.; Paul Heanue; Peter Glick, P.E. Symmes, Maini & Mckee Associates; Jim Murphy and Gregory Yanchenko, of Helene Karl Architechts. Jeffrey Dirk, VAI, provided traffic consulting services for the project.

Discussion and Findings:
The Applicant proposes to provide 77 spaces in total, with 51 parking spaces proposed to be built, and, 26 spaces designed and reserved to be built in the future if needed. The 51 spaces will accommodate the customer traffic, employee parking, and simultaneous use of the conference room. The Board found that the parking as proposed would be adequate for the facility. Mr. Ramsey suggested that the applicant should be required to return to the Board if the reserve spaces were needed prior to commencement of construction of the spaces. The Board discussed the retaining wall, parking lot configuration, future expansion of parking and the handicapped access. The Board discussed the snow storage areas as proposed, and, the vehicle circulation patterns. The Truck traffic will utilize a separate driveway than the public traffic. The Board felt that the site was not over parked given that the 26 spaces are being held in reserve.

Vote:
The Planning Board voted, unanimously, to GRANT a Special Permit A3 relative to construction of a 24,000 SF utility operations center as shown on plans entitled, "HINGHAM MUNICIPAL LIGHTING SITE PLANT NEW OPERATIONS CENTER, OWNER: HINGHAM MUNICIPAL LIGHTING PLANT 350 LINCOLN STREET - SUITE 110, HINGHAM, MA 02043, PREPARED BY SYMMES MAINI & MCKEE ASSOCIATES, 100 MASSACHUSSETTS AVE, CAMBRIDGE, MA 02138, Sheet T-1 Dated 4/17/14, revised to 10/17/14; Sheets C-101, 102, 111, 141, 501, 502, 503, & 504 Dated 5/8/14, revised to 10.17/14; Sheet C-121 Dated 5/8/14, revised to 11/4/14; Sheet L-1.1 Dated 5/8/14 revised to 10/29/14; and, Sheets A-3.1 & 3.2 dated 3/14/14 Revised to 10/17/14", with the following condition:

1. The applicant shall return to the Board if the reserve spaces are needed prior to commencement of construction of the spaces.

This Decision shall not become effective until (i) the Town Clerk has certified on a copy of this decision that twenty (20) days have elapsed after the decision has been filed in the office of the Town Clerk and no appeal has been filed or that if such an appeal has been filed, that it has been dismissed or denied, and that (ii): a copy thereof has been duly recorded in the Plymouth County Registry of Deeds and indexed in the grantor index under the name of the owner of record.

For the Planning Board,