Above: Town engineering consultants were concerned by safety issues they found when walking around the commuter rail stop in Southborough, including what the Town Planner called “degrading of the stairs”. (Image from Google Maps)
Last night, the Planning Board was scheduled to hold continued public hearings on a proposed pay-for-parking lot at Fitzgerald’s on Southville Road. Instead, the hearing was “continued” to July 13th.
The hearings have prompted residents to air complaints about commuter rail rider parking and pickups in the area. Last night, Town Planner, Jennifer Burney raised a different set of safety concerns about the train stop.
Burney told the board that the town’s engineering consultants pointed out safety issues when she walked the site with them. Those included “degrading of the stairs”. [Maybe this is one more reason for the MBTA to consider track level crossing at the station!]
Back to Fitzgerald’s proposal: This morning I stumbled across 2009 stories that Susan ran about a failed attempt by Fitzgerald’s to get the Zoning Board of Appeals’ approval for an 80 spot pay lot.
At the time, the ZBA denied a hearing continuance, but “without prejudice”. This was to allow the unprepared applicant to return in the future. Read more about that here.
For more detail on last night’s meeting, you can read Southborough Wicked Local’s coverage:
Town Planner Jennifer Burney informed the Planning Board Monday night that town officials and consultants noticed some safety concerns with the stairways and platforms at the MBTA commuter rail station on Southville Road. . .
Burney made it clear the comments had nothing to do with [Fitzgerald’s] private parking lot plans.
During a visit to the area, Burney said officials and consultants walked near the MBTA station and noted potential safety problems with the stairs and gaps between the yellow warning strip and the walkway.
“We noted a lot of concerns and issues,” Burney said. “I just wanted to let you know that the Planning Board may want to send its comments to the ‘T’ to let them know there are concerns.”. . .
Burney said the applicant’s engineers, Cornerstone Land Consultants of Pepperell, asked for the extension to address questions that surfaced in a review by Fuss & O’Neil.
Click here for the full SWL story.
