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Date: 9/6/2023
LUDLOW — The Planning Board continued its discussion on the proposed self-storage facility at its Aug. 24 meeting.
Since June the Planning Board have been discussing a proposed development with six storage containers located at 590-596 Center St. in the Agriculture Moderate Density Overlay District, where self-storage facilities are allowed with Planning Board site plan approval and a special permit.
Residents have voiced their concerns at two recent meetings about the hours of operation, noise, traffic and aesthetic of the facility in their backyards.
At its last meeting on Aug. 9, the Planning Board took approximately 20 minutes to go over each item of the different special permit criteria and checklists along with required site plan content to see if the project satisfies all these areas.
Planning Board Chair Raymond Phoenix said, “Ultimately I think we need to decide is this something that still remains an issue for one or more members of the board and the as we move closer to taking a vote that kind of in form what we are doing then.”
Out of the 50 items discussed, 17 items were flagged for further discussion.
Items that were considered questionable by the board had to do with environmental stress, contributing to diversity of services available to the town, adding little traffic congestion, air pollution and excessive noise, scenic views from public ways and potential noise and glare disturbances.
At its Aug. 24 meeting, the Planning Board discussed the topic for another hour.
No motion was made in terms of the approving the special permit, but the board was able to narrow the list down to only nine more items they want to discuss further.
The Planning Board is scheduled to discuss the topic again at its next meeting on Thursday, Sept. 14, at 7:30 p.m.
“I am hoping either we come to a consensus that none of these things are insurmountable issues or on what list is at issue and then after that begin crafting our motion,” Phoenix said.
The Planning Board added that they could also include requirements on the special permit that the proposed self-storage facility must follow to keep their permit.
According to Massachusetts General Law, the Planning Board has 90 days from the public hearing to act on the special permit.
The board said they have until Oct. 12 to make a decision or else it is automatically approved.