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Dog Salon Move Delayed Over Traffic IssuesBy Tammy Daniels
iBerkshires Staff
02:08PM / Wednesday, December 10, 2008
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — A dog-grooming service's plans to move to the former Neville's Donuts building on Eagle Street was clipped on Monday night after the Planning Board failed twice to bring the matter to a vote.
Pam Meczywor of Pooches on Holden Street was disappointed and perplexed by the board's actions. "I don't understand," she said afterward. "They're talking about traffic and parking ... it's a drop-off business."
The Pooches has been operating on busy Holden Street for several years with no problems, she said.
The business had planned to open Jan. 1 in newly renovated space. Now Meczywor said she had to figure out what to do because of an expected two-month delay.
Board Chairman Michael Leary had raised the questions about possible traffic issues because of the busy nearby intersection of Eagle, River and Canal Streets. There are businesses on three of the corners — a gas station, a pizza takeout and a liquor store.
Plus, one of the spots in the Neville's building was to be occupied by a church, which the Planning Board has no control over, he said.
Leary asked for a review by the Traffic Commission, but commission Chairman Mary Ann King, who was in the audience, said her panel couldn't meet until the third Wednesday of January. That would push any approval of Pooches' move to the Planning Board's February meeting.
Board member William G. Schrade Jr. objected to the delay, noting that the doughnut shop had operated in that location for decades and a karate center for several years. The building also contains a hair salon.
"When the karate place was there we didn't ask them about how they got in and out," said Schrade. "I don't see how this is going to be a big change."
Leary, however, said the storefront Spanish church, proposed by pastor Janitza Williams, could put pressure on the building's limited parking and the high-traffic street. "We can't regulate anything to do with the church," he said because of constitutional issues. "We have to look at the entire situation."
Schrade objected that the dog salon — an any other business that located into the building — would be "held hostage" because of the church.
The board had OK'ed something once before with unanticipated consequences, Leary reminded members, continuing to push for a traffic review. "They can come back and say it's the worst thing you've done since the Dunkin' Donuts drive-through but there's nothing we can do."
The Traffic Commission could request traffic information from the church and recommend actions to the Planning Board, he said.
After closing the public hearings, the board returned to the dog salon to vote on whether to approve, only to discover they had become so wrapped up in the traffic discussion they had failed to review signage and other relevant issues.
"I think we've leapfrogged over a lot of things we normally look at," said board member Paul Hopkins.
The vote began again, but when it appeared there would not be enough to approve the special permit, it was halted.
I'm withdrawing my question," said Schrade "If this gets voted no, and she can't get in there for two years, I can't let that happen."
Leary asked for a motion to postpone the vote until February, when a Traffic Commission review would be available.
An application by Guy Cariddi for a special permit to operate a livery service on Curran Highway was approved with conditions.
An application by Christopher Mayne to operate an auto parts distributorship on State Road was withdrawn.
An application by Mark and Renee Lapier to operate a restaurant in the former J.T. Bus Lines Co. office was continued to the next meeting. The related work at Berkshire Transmissions on same property was also discussed, with the board requesting further information on the number of cars and condition of the property.
Update: Pooches received its permit. |
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