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The proposed demolition and redevelopment of the Depot Plaza area along Franklin’s Main Street, a pitch that ran into considerable opposition from local merchants and others concerned about the future of the downtown, had been scheduled to come before the Planning Board Monday night, at 7pm. But plans have changed.
The Planning Board will discuss Symphony Drive (Tanglewood Estates II); a Final Bond Release for J Victor Lane; and, a Final Form H for 230 East Central Street, but the hearing for 9 & 13-15 Main St (aka Depot Plaza) has been put off, the application voluntarily withdrawn, according to correspondence from the owner’s engineering firm sent to the town.
The application is being withdrawn to facilitate a refiling to correct an administrative oversight and include a second Planning Board Special Permit request for unit density, according to the letter
According to the submittal for the project shared with the Design Review Commission in July, which ended up tabling the matter after objections were aired to the aesthetics by members of the public, the proposed project is seeking approval for a building height of up to 50 feet, which includes multi-story commercial and mixed-use with more than 50 housing units.
The project will also have significantly fewer parking spaces than what the town currently requires, a requirement which itself was reduced significantly in recent years.
The next planning board meeting after tonight’s is on Monday, Aug. 24. It is not clear whether the Depot Plaza redevelopment will be scheduled then.
