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Date: 3/9/2021
EASTHAMPTON – The proposed Dunkin’ Donuts at East Street near the intersection with Route 5 is one step closer to receiving approval. American Dream Realty LLC has been seeking a special permit and stormwater management permit since June 2020.
At the beginning of the meeting, the R Levesque Associates’ Permitting Project Manager Jessica Allan, gave an update on what has happened since their last Dec. 15, 2020, meeting with the board.
Allan said the project team met with several District Two Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) members to discuss a traffic signal at the intersection of Route 5 and East Street.
“Based on that discussion, they had recommended and requested that a memo be sent to the district that incorporated all of the data or a good summary of the data that has been presented to the Planning Board and has been peer-reviewed, in addition, to provide a signal design for the proposed intersection signal,” Allan said.
Allan continued to inform the public that 10 days after they submitted the necessary documents to MassDOT, they responded that they favor moving forward with a traffic signal design. Still, R Levesque Associates would have to file a highway access permit to begin the process entirely. From her understanding, the permitting process could take anywhere from nine months to a year.
“Where that leaves us tonight is we are willing to have a condition that ties the traffic signal to the development with an understanding that it would essentially be tied to a certificate of occupancy so that the projects could work in parallel since the MassDOT process does take a considerable amount of time,” she said.
Planning Board Chair Jesse Belcher-Timme expressed to Jeff Bandini of McMahon Associates that he is worried about the construction of the new Dunkin’ Donuts going too far along before they know that the new signal light will be installed.
Bandini explained that that was the point of the preliminary hearing with District Two and that the signal light is warranted.
“What we would need going forward is some sort of evaluation beyond what we included here in terms of utility, connections, and a full design that looks at connectivity and takes into account bicycle accommodations which are already existing along Route 5, and is the level of service we presented acceptable and we have to go through that MassDOT permitting phase that Jessica mentioned,” Bandini said.
He added that he feels they are already on the fast track to getting it approved. He said that the nine months to a year that Allan mentioned is the phase to go back and forth with the design process. MassDOT essentially told them that it could happen as long as the project team and the city is committed to moving the design forward.
City Planner Jeffrey Bagg said that the board needs reassurance that the signal would be financially feasible before they start the construction.
Bandini said that a cost estimate could come within the next three to six months.
Rob Levesque of R Levesque Associates added on to the answer.
“I think the city might be getting a little bit into the weeds here with regard to the signal itself. Obviously, this is a jurisdictional roadway, and we have to go through the MassDOT process. I think the last discussion that we had with the Planning Board was, ‘Okay, does the MassDOT think that a light is warranted here?’ I think we have answered that question which is good. We also had some preliminary discussion with regards to cost, and I think the cost is going to be generally speaking less than we originally anticipated,” Levesque said.
He reminded the board that they are looking to get the project moved at the local level.
“If a special permit is granted and we do not perform, or for some reason, the light does not get designed and constructed, there is no store. We want to make that very clear, that we understand that,” Levesque said.
Belcher-Timme told Levesque that what he is concerned about is the project will not fall through, and they will have already demolished the existing building that is there or started work on-site, and it just sits there. Belcher-Timme asked them will they know that money is set aside because they know what the cost of the traffic light is. Leveque said a Dunkin’ Donuts can sometimes be built quickly, so they would wait to start construction until the money is set aside to pay for the light.
Planning Board member Harry Schumann asked how the proposed Dunkin’ being built at the top of Mountain Road in Holyoke will affect the proposed Dunkin’ on East Street.
Leveque, who is also involved with the Mountain Road Dunkin’ proposal, said business would be affected a little bit, but it will capture traffic leaving Easthampton in the morning. He continued to say that the Dunkin’ franchise and corporate conduct many studies before they look at a proposed location.
Bagg asked if MassDOT informed them of a project that MassDOT is proposing in the same area where they anticipate adding a traffic light. Bagg said MassDOT is looking to install a separate bike path that would go from Manhan Rail Trail terminus to Northampton.
Bandini said they were informed and they have known about it for quite some time.
Two residents submitted letters to the board stating concerns about blocking their driveway and lights shinning on their property.
For the house across the street, the applicant, Emanuel Sardinha, will pay for landscaping to be done on the resident’s property to block the store’s and car lighting. The resident was also concerned about backing onto East Street with possibly more traffic. To fix this issue, Sardinha will also pay to install a hammerhead turnaround so she can do a three-point turn and will be able to drive out of her driveway versus backing out.
The resident who will live next door to the new store will receive a temporary fence while construction is underway and when things are completed with the new store, the resident receives a fence and landscape changes to their lawn.
Belcher-Timme suggested that they return on March 16 to present a proposal with how they will support the residents and mitigation with the abutters so the board can have something to reference.