Franklin Planning Board Adjourns in Face of Angry Residents [UPDATED]

It’s not the first time that the property at 488 and 496 Summer Street has been embroiled in controversy. Several years ago, a proposal to build a multiunit market-rate housing development was scuppered when the Town Council narrowly voted down an attempt to rezone to permit that use.

Currently, a project is before the Planning Board called the Autumn Hill Senior Village. According to applicant material filed with the Planning Board the development aims to  construct a townhouse-style 28-unit Senior Village at 488 & 496 Summer Street, a property which has two existing single-family residential dwellings, both of which will become part of the ‘village.’. ‘Much of the site consists of wooded land that slopes downwards towards the east. Uncas Brook itself runs through the very back corner of the property...the project is expected to have between 28 and 56 total residents. The site also includes amenity areas and walking trails, along with all appurtenant driveways, parking areas, utilities, and stormwater management facilities.’

There’s much that opponents don’t like, including the topography, which makes the project dominate the neighborhood and some fear runoff from the site onto adjacent land. Then there is traffic and the unusual incorporation of existing homes into a project (which also includes a portion of affordable units).

But a big sticking point, and one that got temperatures elevated, is the question of whether the applicant has demonstrated that there is a need given the plethora of market-rate senior housing in town.

[In the original version of this story, the developer was mistakenly identified as Bruce Hunchard, who is also chair of Zoning Board of Appeals. However, while Hunchard was repeatedly discussed as the developer by people at the hearing, he is not. Hunchard explained via email, My wife and I own 10+ acres of the property in question. We have owned and lived on the property for 44 years and lived in the current house on the property since 1985, 39+ years. There is another property that is part of the project. I actually built that house and sold it back in the early to mid 80's. It was purchased a couple years ago by the person proposing Autumn Hill.]

One questioner asked why the Planning Board was still even considering the project in the absence of such proof of need. The comments from the audience grew sharper with one audience member accusing the Board Chair of being ‘rude’ and another implying that the Board or some of its members were corrupt. Some on the Board fired back but Vice Chair Beth Wierling, not for the first time, took a calm tone, expressing sympathy for those feeling upset and reminding the audience that the approval process is rule-based and complex – and sometimes frustrating for all parties.

But when the accusations of wrongdoing began, she insisted it had to stop and was inappropriate and wrong – while the questioner repeated, “not YOU.”

But Wierling responded that, in effect, making unsubstantiated accusations against any one on the Board amounted to accusing all.

But neither Wierling’s verbal balm nor Chair Greg Rondeau’s repeated gaveling could salvage the hearing’s decorum, so in the midst of the shouts, the Board members hastily conferred and voted to continue the hearing and adjourn at the one hour and forty minute mark.

The senior village will have to return for consideration another day.