Swampscott planning board OKs building replacement

SWAMPSCOTT – The planning board voted 4-1 to approve a single-story building to replace the three-story Humphrey Street building destroyed by fire in March. But the approval was with the condition that developers hold a community meeting within two weeks on the proposal after Hadley School parents submitted a petition requesting a month-long delay on the project.”Overall it was a very positive feeling from everyone about the proposal,” said Planning Board member Angela Ippolito. From the community members? I think they just wanted to have some questions answered. It wasn’t an issue of liking the building, it was just an issue of process at this point.”Developers in August presented the planning board with a proposal to erect a single-story commercial building at the Humphrey Street site of a three-story, mixed-use building that was completely destroyed in an early-morning March 2 fire.The new building would measure approximately 4,000 square feet and contain six units. Developers said that a limited budget prevented them from exercising their legal right to rebuild the 10,735 square-foot building lost in the fire.But a group of Hadley School parents presented a petition to the planning board asking that the board’s decision be delayed a month until after a public meeting could be held to discuss the project.”I don’t think they are objecting, said resident Rebecca Spellios, who presented the petition to the board. “They just want to know what’s (going to be built).”But developers noted that this was the third public meeting where they had presented the project to the board. Furthermore, they said they were on a tight construction time line with the upcoming winter and a year-long window to rebuild at the site without seeking additional zoning approval. They also noted that a delay could add costs, exacerbating concerns raised by other residents that the project’s budget was small and might lead to reducing the building’s aesthetic features.”I understand that people have questions, but I don’t feel it should hold up the approval process,” said property owner Jayne Orloff. “I’d love to find a way to make it work both ways.”