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Date: 12/26/2023
WARE — The final decision on whether a 21,900-square-foot Tractor Supply will be built on West Street will likely be released by the end of December, representatives from the project said during the Dec. 7 Planning Board meeting.
Matt Darling, a representative for the Tractor Supply project, met with the Planning Board on Dec. 7 to finalize the site plan and answer any questions from board members and the public.
The Planning Board and other town committees have been working to finalize the project since 2022 when its location was approved to be rezoned to allow commercial buildings. This step was required before the site plan could be discussed and finalized, Darling stated.
During the Dec. 7 meeting, Darling and Solli Engineering Project Manager Casey Burch highlighted certain aspects of the site plan and discussed various modifications with the board, who ultimately voted to approve the site plan.
The 21,900-square-foot store would contain 75 traditional parking spots and three trailer parking spots on the north side of the property, along with a 30-foot driveway entrance, Burch stated. He said that the building and parking area would be surrounded by native trees and all lights would be turned off after hours.
The property would be located at 256 West St., facing the road, and have a fenced area on the eastern side of the building for “bulky merchandise,” Darling explained. He also confirmed that the store would be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on a regular day and 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. for the holidays.
While a 16-foot chain fence was planned along the eastern border of the property to block noise and sound for the Brookside Manor apartment buildings that abut the property, Darling and the board meetings agreed to increase protections by including additional screens to block noise and a white vinyl fence to block headlights from the parking area. Likewise, Darling agreed to the board’s request to replace the spruce trees that were planned for the eastern border due to concerns of bugs killing the trees.
The board additionally raised concerns over whether the turn-in area for the store’s driveway was illuminated enough and if there should be a turning lane to assist with western-moving traffic. However, Darling clarified that these decisions will be made by the state after its ongoing traffic study is completed. Burch also added that, during peak hours, the store will receive a low volume of vehicles at around 140 cars with 60 coming in and 70 exiting.
During public comment, multiple abutters voiced concerns over the store’s environmental impact. Yet, Darling emphasized that the store will have no negative impact on the wetlands west of the property. Furthermore, Tractor Supply would actually improve the flow of runoff in the area by catching the water in a basin and slowly filtering it into the ground, he stated.
Following the Planning Board meeting, the Tractor Supply representatives then met with the Conservation Commission on Dec. 13 to discuss the proximity of the building to the wetlands. During the meeting, the commission did not reach a final decision on whether to approve the project. Rather, they requested a third-party review of the plan, Planning and Community Development Director Paralee Smith stated.
According to Smith, the Tractor Supply representatives stated that they have already selected a third-party reviewer and are awaiting a verdict. Once the commission is informed of the third-party reviewer’s verdict, they will make a final decision on the project, Smith stated.
Darling was also scheduled to meet with the Board of Health on Dec. 20, after Reminder Publishing’s press time, in order to finalize the septic plans. If the Conservation Commission approves the project without changes, the Board of Health’s decision on Dec. 20 would be the town of Ware’s last step in approving the project, he said.