SWAMPSCOTT — The Planning Board voted to support an article to rezone the Hadley School site for use as a boutique hotel after a public hearing.
Town Meeting will vote on whether to approve Article 19 on the warrant, which would amend zoning bylaws to establish the Hadley School Overlay District, on Monday, May 15. The proposed bylaw change would allow developers to use the former school site at 20 Redington St. to build a 60-room boutique hotel with at least 20 parking spaces.
Of the concerns expressed during the hearing, the most common was a line in the warrant article stipulating “there shall be no limitations on the hours of operations of any restaurant or bar operating from the hotel and any such establishment may provide both or either have indoor and outdoor seating as of right.”
Planning Board Chair Angela Ippolito said town counsel added the line.
“I don’t understand why it says there are no limitations on the hours of operations,” Ippolito said. “That’s not something I would necessarily agree with. But I’m going to open this up for conversation.”
Swampscott Conservancy Board of Directors member Rich Frenkel expressed concern regarding the 24-hour bar and restaurant allowance, adding that his sister lives next to a late-night restaurant in Newburyport and is consistently disturbed by the noise coming from the establishment. He said he also thinks the rezoning should allow for more parking spaces to accommodate local businesses.
The bylaw limits the height of any parking structure on the lot to 15 feet above ground level. Ippolito said although the town does not wish to include a large parking garage nearby, the structure could potentially dip to allow for more parking spaces.
“Parking is really important to a lot of people and it’s at a premium there, so to be able to provide additional parking for the public — we look at that as a big amenity there,” Ippolito said.
Select Board Member MaryEllen Fletcher said she shares her constituents’ concerns regarding the allowance, and is worried that all aspects of the zoning amendment are by right.
“I would prefer that things have a site plan by the planning board,” Fletcher said. “This way, if something comes up that could cause an issue or something that we couldn’t foresee, people that it would be affected by would have an opportunity to express what their concerns are. The Planning Board could then use their wisdom to decide what’s in the best interest of the community.”
Ippolito responded to Fletcher by assuring her the Planning Board will conduct a site plan, and will not approve construction if it does not comply with the plan’s regulations.
Land Use Coordinator Marissa Meaney added that the town plans to create a land-use agreement — similar to those made between cannabis dispensaries and their host communities— with the future developers, allowing Swampscott to enforce contract infractions.
Meaney also addressed concerns regarding the lack of hourly restrictions for the hotel’s bar and restaurant. She said even if the bylaw passes as is, the Zoning Board of Appeals would ultimately be responsible for approving a 24-hour liquor license and likely would not allow it.
Additionally, Meaney said Swampscott does not have zoning laws for bars, only for restaurants. That means the restaurant’s bar and kitchen will both have to remain open for 24 hours if the board approves a 24-hour liquor license for the hotel.
Select Board Member Doug Thompson said he was worried about a potential 24-hour bar and restaurant, but was also concerned with the zoning’s specificity.
“It does feel as though by going ahead and putting it into this very specific use, that if for whatever reason, we don’t end up with a hotel, then I guess we’re in a position where we have to unwind this to some other use and we’d have to have another Town Meeting vote to do that,” Thompson said.
Thompson said if the town chooses not to create an overlay district, the area might lack definitive planning, but the are would remain fluid if Swampscott has trouble finding the right hotel developer.
Ippolito responded by saying that since the proposed bylaw is for an overlay district and would not alter the underlying district, the plot of land could be used for a different purpose if necessary.
After the board voted to approve the article, Thompson asked whether the 24-hour allowance would be taken out of the article prior to Town Meeting. Ippolito responded that since all Planning Board members “expressed concern” with a 24-hour bar and restaurant, the town would work to block it if the article is approved by Town Meeting.
