York Town News
Planning Board questions business center design
By Jennifer L. Saunders
YORK - A proposal to scale back a hotel and locate a new Rite-Aid Pharmacy at the York Village Business Center on Route 1 had the Planning Board urging the project team to take a closer look at the building designs.At its meeting on Thursday, April 12, the Planning Board reviewed a full slate of applications, including amendments to the previously approved York Village Business Center, located at 14 Cider Hill Road and Route 1.
The proposal requests approval to relocate the hotel and to replace two small mixed-use buildings with one larger one.
Jim Hanley of Engineering Alliance, speaking on behalf of the York Village Business Center team, explained that the amendments would reduce the full size of the development with a smaller hotel of 57 rooms in three stories. The plan also includes improved mitigation for stormwater at the site, he said.
Bruce Vlasak, representing Rite-Aid, told the board the design includes adding the pharmacy and retail store building to face Route 1.
The Planning Board had several concerns with its first look at the proposal, including building design to fit with the character of the area and proposed lighting for the site when compared with surrounding properties.
Planning Board member Glenn Farrell praised the first design for the site, with its layout of internal walking paths and parking.
"It really seems like what you're trying to do is change quite a bit," he said, expressing concern about the location of the buildings closer to neighboring properties.
Farrell also urged the architects to strive for designs that are more New England in character.
"It's tough to make a big square box look good. … I don't know any other way to put it, but the hotel is a big square box," he said, adding that while other options might be more expensive, "In the long run, I think it would look a lot nicer, and it is quite a visible part of the town."
His fellow board member Barrie Munro described the opportunity for the York Village Business Center to set a design benchmark for the business community as a whole.
"We wanted York Village Business Center to establish a precedent for future business development," Munro said.
Chairman Glen MacWilliams asked the applicant to strive to soften the appearance of the Rite-Aid structure and consider the views from Route 91 as well as Route 1.
The members of the design team said they are very willing to meet with the Planning Department to discuss other options and work together to incorporate the board's suggestions and bring back more information for the next phase in the review process.
At the same meeting, the board also took its first look at the plan for the American Legion's new 11,400-square-foot community center proposed for 9 Hannaford Drive, off Routes 1 and 91.
The sketch review allowed the applicants to have an opportunity for feedback on an initial design from the board, before the formal review process gets underway. There was no comment from the public at the hearing on the plan.
Discussions focused on parking considerations and requirements for the site. American Legion members attended the meeting in support of the plan, which is expected to come back before the board for preliminary review in the future.
Also at the meeting, the board unanimously approved the final application for Fazio/Woodbridge Square to replace two existing buildings with a new one, and to redesign parking on the Woodbridge Road site.
In other business, the board continued discussion of minor amendments to the Sparhawk subdivision on Western Point, after hearing concerns about stormwater runoff from abutters; approved minor boundary line adjustments to the PHN subdivision on Pine Hill North and postponed its ongoing review of Highland Farm Phase 2 to its May meeting, at the request of the applicant.
