Landscaping Business Moving To Milford
The Zoning Board of Appeals last night granted permission for a local landscaper to set up shop at Sabatinelli’s old contractor’s yard on Dilla Street, but criticized plans for a new sign at Quarry Square.
Despite one member’s objections, the Zoning Board supported a plan by John Mullen of Landscape Depot to replace the scrap metal and junky old trucks now on site with storage bins, mulch, crushed rock and decorative stone.
Before the board granted a special permit, Michael P. Visconti objected, worrying the business opening would be “two giant steps backwards for traffic flow” on the busy street.
“It’s dangerous and slow enough as it is,” he said.
Meanwhile, other members and Building Commissioner Anthony DeLuca, who was on hand, saw the business plan as something positive.
“This is our chance to clean up another eyesore in the town of Milford,” DeLuca said.
Attorney Joseph Antonellis said Mullen will sign a lease and clean up the land, which has contaminated spots and junk left around from its former industrial use.
The business will appeal mostly to local landscaping companies who can drive in and truck away materials, but also to residents, who would likely hire contractors to move the goods or request delivery, Antonellis said.
In a letter of support, Town Planner Larry Dunkin wrote the proposed use of the property at 57<+>1<+>/<->2<-> Dilla St. “will be an improvement to the property and to the neighborhood.”
According to Mullen’s plan, as Antonellis explained it, the Landscape Depot in Upton will pick up and re-route here in Milford.
“This is sort of a no-brainer in terms of improving,” said board member Laura Mann. “It makes sense to do it.”
Landscape Depot also has shops in Westborough and Framingham.
In terms of traffic issues here, “the traffic that will be generated can exit easily onto Dilla Street,” according to the applicant’s petition for variance.
“The sight lines for entering and exiting the premises are sufficient to allow for safe and easy access.”
In other business last night, the board criticized plans for a larger, internally illuminated directional sign for Quarry Square at the intersection of Quarry Drive and Fortune Boulevard.
Members objected to plans for the 8-foot-wide by 30-foot-high sign to be placed in an island, concerned it would block the sight line for tractor-trailer truck drivers who frequently stop there to come and go.
“All of a sudden, there’s an accident,” Mann said. “Right now, it’s a nightmare - I think if anything it’ll make it worse.”
Said member David Pyne: “I think it’s a terrible idea for a location like this; it’s horrible.”
He noted it “definitely makes it more unsafe” there, and suggested the sign be moved from the island to one side of the road.
Tags: anthony deluca, antonellis, board member, board of appeals, building commissioner, busy street, crushed rock, giant steps, gt 2, john mullen, landscape, landscaper, Landscaping, landscaping companies, laura mann, mulch, old trucks, request delivery, s yard, storage bins, town planner, traffic flow, traffic issues, westborough, zoning board0
Monday, June 16th, 2008
