by Frank Schroth

The Planning Board approved changes to the old Marketplace Cafe space per a request from The Milton Fruit Center, owners of the space, and Suzanne Lombardi, the new tenant who will be opening an eatery in the location. The plan calls for renovating a dormer to increase the height from 4’9″ to 7’11”. The increased height will improve employee safety and comfort while working. The change does not increase the floor space or seating capacity.

The space is also being upgraded with new fixtures that will bring everything up to current code (e.g. a new state of art ventilation system). Another change noted was that the opening of the restaurant will be 6:30AM. The Marketplace Cafe had opened at 8:00. No residents spoke at the hearing. Chair Whiteside closed the hearing and the board unanimously approved the site plan.

The board does not plan to present any articles at Annual Town Meeting at this time. However, they did discuss an article being considered by attorneys Ned Corcoran and Marion McEttrick. The article seeks a bylaw to deal with pre-existing non-conforming business lots. A pre-existing, non-conforming lot is a lot that has a structure that was built prior to Milton’s zoning going into effect which was sometime in the late thirties. Because of this, renovations are difficult and costly as they require applying for variances from the Board of Appeals (BoA). This also puts a burden on the BoA. Mr. Corcoran in particular has long been advoacating for a bylaw that will address the issue of non-conforming lots and provide efficiency to process, relieve homeowners of undue cost, and the BoA of high number of requests. At the session he and Ms. McEttrick took the first step. This first step focused on non-conforming commercial lots.

Corcoran identified 4 commecial areas that currently are languishing and/or could benefit from a new bylaw. He argued that there was no incentive at this time to improve properties and reinvest due to the limitations of the zoning. The four properties he referenced are:

• The old ice plant on Blue Hills Parkway across from the Gile Road entrance to Milton High School
• The Tedeschi’s and abutting house on Houston Avenue
• The Knights of Columbus and the abutting lots at corner of Brook and Blue Hill Ave
• The Success Real Esate and Tedeschi lot area at corner of Reedsdale and Randolph Avenue

Corcoran argued that there “were larges swaths of town developed before zoning . . . and [currently] there is no incentive to expand.” He recommended a bylaw that could comprehensively address these sites and potentially others that would allow for mixed use of residential and business. He said that “to do nothing would . . . be a disservice to the town.”

In the subsequent discussion the board and attorneys debated the merits of putting something before town meeting to get community input versus the downside of presenting a less than fully developed article and having it referred back to the Planning Board. Member Innes said forums could be held in advance of town meeting to solicit input. Whiteside suggested that the existing Condo committe, a group exploring the development of a comprehensive bylaw for condominiums and townhouses, take up the issue with the goal of presenting an article at October town meeting. There appeared to be consenus on this approach which would provide enough time to obtain and factor in community feedback but not push the presentation of an article to town meeting off indefinitely. McEttrick said getting a draft published, “good, bad or indifferent,” was an important first step as that is what “will generate a reaction” that can then be modified.

In other business:

• the board discussed the “completeness” of the Thayer application for their landscaping business. Whiteside said “It is better but could be better still.” He concluded. “We think it is complete enough.” and a public hearing has been scheduled for January 8th.
• they postponed taking up the issue of a Steel & Rye change which involves the restaurant putting in a flatbread oven with chimney.
• a new assistant town planner, Tim Czerwienski, has been hired and may start as early as Monday pending necessary committee approvals (Board of Selectmen, Personnel Board).