NORWOOD – The Norwood Planning Board voted to approve a definitive subdivision plan for the former Telco site at 63/65 Nahatan Street. In a meeting that highlighted the tension between property rights and town oversight, the decision paved the way for the creation of a two-lot commercial subdivision and a new cul-de-sac. However the approval came only after the board agreed to strip several restrictive conditions from the final agreement.
The primary motivation for the subdivision was not immediate construction, but rather a “zoning freeze” that allows the property owner to lock in existing zoning regulations for a set period, protecting them from subsequent changes voted on by Town Meeting.
“We are seeking the protection that is allowed a property owner under the statute,” explained David Hern Jr., attorney for the applicant, Crosspoint Associates. Hern noted that the town had voted to change the zoning after the preliminary plan was filed, and the applicant wished to preserve the rights they had at the time of the original submission.
While Crosspoint does not yet have a definitive plan for the site’s redevelopment, they expressed a desire to keep their options open under the previous zoning.
The most contentious portion of the hearing involved a set of seven proposed conditions drafted by the town’s planning department. The applicant took sharp aim at Conditions 1, 2, and 5, arguing they were redundant and unfairly subjected the project to “another bite of the apple”.
- Condition 1 would have required the applicant to return to the board for a public hearing on the “adequacy of plans” before any construction could begin.
- Condition 2 sought to mandate future reviews of traffic impacts and site access improvements.
- Condition 5 required a final landscaping plan signed by a registered landscape architect.
Attorney Hern argued these conditions were “nebulous” and had nothing to do with the subdivision control law. Board members Joe Sheehan, Ernie Paciorkowski, and Brian Hachey ultimately agreed with the applicant, suggesting that if the subdivision met the town’s rules and regulations today, it shouldn’t be subject to a second approval process later.
“It would be like Groundhog Day,” Sheehan remarked. “You either give them the approval or you don’t”.
Debbie Holmwood remained the lone voice of caution, expressing a desire for “extra cushion” and oversight given the project’s history.
In the end, the board voted 4-0 to approve the subdivision with a modified list of conditions. The approved conditions include:
- Engineering Updates: The applicant must submit revised plans addressing technical requests from Town Engineer Mark Ryan within 30 days.
- Naming: The applicant must provide proposed street names for the new cul-de-sac.
- Performance Guarantee: A financial guarantee must be provided to ensure the infrastructure is completed.
- Timeline: The infrastructure must be completed within two years.
While the subdivision is now approved, any future “full-blown development,” such as a shopping center or office building, will still require separate site plan approvals and special permits from the town. Inside Norwood will stay on top of this project as it develops. -RD