By Adam Swift
Citing concerns about traffic, parking, and the scope of the project, the Planning Board continued the public hearing on a 120-unit, six-story Park Street development until its May 27 meeting.
The proposed project calls for 120 residential units with 50 parking spaces on two decks, as well as seven commercial spaces on the first floor at 105-115 Park Street.
In addition to that parcel, which is the location of the former Pollo Campero restaurant, the development lot also includes 12 Essex St. and 1 Ellsworth St.
The project requires a special permit for the parking and a special permit for a planted screen of less than 10 feet between zoning districts, as well as a variance for the demolition of two structures on the property.
Several planning board members, as well as several residents, raised concerns about the project at last week’s public hearing. The continuance means that the project will have to wait until June for the ZBA to act on any planning board recommendations.
The proposed 120 units include 95 one-bedroom or studio units, 15 two-bedroom units, and 10 three-bedroom units, according to project attorney Anthony Rossi. He added that 18 of the units will be affordable units under the city’s inclusionary zoning ordinance.
The seven retail spaces range from about 700 to 1,700 square feet, but Rossi said there is the possibility that two or more units could be combined to create a larger retail space.
Since the project does not meet the required number of parking spaces for the zoning district, Rossi said residents would not be eligible to take part in the city’s residential parking sticker program.
“We actually have more parking than other projects that were built in the Broadway district,” said Rossi.
Rossi noted that a traffic analysis of the project was close to completion as of last week’s public hearing.
The goal of the project with its large mix of one-bedroom units is to limit the amount of parking with the tenants who come in so that there is some parking remaining for visitors and the people who will work in the retail spaces, Rossi added.
Planning Board member Mimi Rancatore raised concerns about the retail units, as well as the development having only two elevators. In addition, Rancatore was one of several people to point out that Chelsea is in need of housing for families, not small, one-person units.
“Chelsea needs family housing, it doesn’t need 95 micro units, that is not what Chelsea is, Chelsea is a family community,” she said. “This is one of the biggest projects we’ve built, and it doesn’t include families; and I have a real hard time with that, and the two elevators are never going to work.”
Rossi noted that the smaller commercial spaces is one aspect of the project that the developer worked on with the city so that it is in line with the city’s vision for the Broadway corridor.
“There are numerous reasons why I do not feel this meets the needs of the community,” said Chester Avenue resident Sandy Maynard. “We have a housing crisis and I am all for building more housing, but this particular project does not meet our community’s needs.”
Maynard also noted that she believed the 18 affordable units, given the size of the project, was only a token gesture. She added that even with the restriction on resident sticker parking, the project would still add to parking and traffic congestion issues in an already busy area of the city.
Mark Lederman, who owns a property adjacent to the proposed project, said he also has many of the same concerns that were raised by Rancatore and Maynard.
“I’m concerned with the density, it is out of character with the neighborhood,” he said. “I do want to see something developed over here, I just think some more work needs to be done with the neighborhood.”
District 7 City Councilor Manuel Teshe also said the city needs more housing for families, and that he would like to see the developer come back with a slightly revised plan for the parcel.
Rossi stated that while the 120 units may seem like a large development in the area, the project encompasses several parcels of land.
“This easily could have been four 30-unit buildings based on the lot size,” said Rossi. “This is 60 percent of an acre in downtown Chelsea. The reason it sounds like a lot is because my client has acquired multiple, multiple parcels and made them into one development project.”
Rossi said he had no issue tabling the public hearing on the development to see if any adjustments could be made.
“My only concern is even if we reduce the unit count and add more multiple bedrooms, I’m thinking we’re creating a bigger parking problem by doing that,” said Rossi.
Decreasing the unit count would also decrease the number of affordable units in the project, Rossi noted, adding that financing for the project would be more difficult with a lower unit count and more affordable units.
The project will be back before the planning board at its May 27 meeting.
The planning board also continued the public hearing for a two-family home proposed for 18-24 Grandview Road. The applicants came back with a smaller proposal for a two-story house as opposed to a side-by-side duplex that was previously before the board, but neighbors and some board members said they still had concerns about parking and the impact the project would have on neighboring properties.