Saugus business owner considers alternatives following neighbors’ opposition to zoning change

SAUGUS – A local business owner withdrew a proposal to put a deli at his Lincoln Avenue garden center after strong opposition from residents.Richard Maltais, owner of Little Brook Logging and Garden Center, wanted to start a country store at his business, which would have a required a change of zoning. However, Town Meeting member Peter Manoogian, who represents Precinct 10, said that would open the door to any business in the future.”There was a lot of opposition,” Manoogian said at Thursday night’s meeting of the Saugus Planning Board. “There had to be two dozen people there plus petitions with 60 names. Everyone who lives on the street behind opposed it and members of the Planning Board spoke out against the blanket rezoning. I think he was stunned with the opposition.”Manoogian said changing the zoning to B-1 zoning would be the same as Cliftondale Square or Saugus Center.”Anything you see in Cliftondale Square can go down there,” said Manoogian.Manoogian said residents were also concerned about traffic and parking issues because the streets and sidewalks near the garden center aren’t big enough.”Not from what he wanted to do, but what would be legally allowed with the zoning,” said Manoogian. “In this economy I think people felt bad for him and he felt bad for the community. He didn’t want to be a bad neighbor.”Maltais, a Saugus resident, said he gets along with all the neighbors in the area, who come in regularly to buy produce and garden supplies, and noted he doesn’t want to create any problems in the area.”There’s no hostility,” said Maltais, who opened the center in 2011. “I need them as my customers and I respect what they say. We’ve been trying to do this for a year. Last night we kind of knew we were going to lose ? but we just wanted to get it out there.”Manoogian said residents most likely would have supported Maltais opening a country store if there was a way to do it without changing the zoning.”I told him you’d have to carve out a section in the zoning bylaws,” said Manoogian. “We don’t have the tool to do what he wants to do. They don’t want the potential for a McDonald’s or a gas station or anything like that ? People were looking down the line into the future. The only option available would be to craft something within the zoning bylaw that would define what a country store is and what the parameters are.”Maltais said he has a lot of support from the community to open a country store, and will consult with a lawyer to figure out a way to get it done without changing the R-1 zoning.”The opposition isn’t for the country store,” he said. “The opposition is for the B-1 business. My neighbors want the deli to go in here. I have some people in town looking to help us and change the S-2 permit and I also had a lawyer who told me to come see him because he knows a way of getting it in.”Matt Tempesta can be reached at [email protected].