SAUGUS — The Planning Board reviewed a site plan for the construction of a Chase Bank at 156-180 Main St. in Saugus Plaza.
Nick Dewhurst, representing Bohler Engineering, presented the board with the site plan for the bank, which would be located next to the building that is home to ConvenientMD, King Crab Juicy Seafood, and Buffalo Wild Wings.
The bank, which would be 3,245 square feet, was recently approved to open a drive-thru ATM at the back of the proposed location during a Board of Selectmen meeting on April 16.
In the area surrounding the bank, shrubbery will be installed, as well as pole- and building-mounted lights to provide additional security.
One point of contention with the plan was the location of a trash enclosure, which Dewhurst said would be “screened on all sides” and surrounded by a 6-foot-high cinder-block wall.
Director of Planning and Economic Development Christopher Reilly said that the trash enclosure’s location was different from where he had suggested. Later in the meeting, Reilly got up and addressed the board, calling the location of the enclosure a “non-starter.” He added that a large amount of cars travel there at a high speed and compared it to the Roman Circus Maximus, an ancient chariot-racing stadium.
“This whole thing is a high-speed nightmare,” Reilly said.
Based on the bylaws’ design standards, Reilly suggested that the building and trash enclosure be reoriented to be more “continuous with the existing building(s).”
Chairman John O’Brien interjected during Reilly’s address to the board, asking why the building and enclosure had not been reoriented in the site plan as Reilly had suggested. Reilly said that while there was a response to the proposal, the client did not want to relocate the enclosure and the building.
Board member Larry Durkin raised the potential issue of additional traffic.
“I was texting the chair that I’ve never seen the traffic like that at Main Street and Lynn Fells Parkway, and I’m not here on the weekends, but i just hear that everyone complains about the traffic,” Durkin said.
Dewhurst replied that banks do not generate large amounts of traffic.
“Banking at an actual brick and mortar is kind of an antiquated thing at this point,” Dewhurst said. “When we have prepared traffic memos for developments like this, the results that they produce are typically very minimal trips. We wouldn’t anticipate in a shopping plaza like this to really have any adverse impacts on the surrounding roadways, really at all.”
Reilly still agreed with Durkin, calling for a peer-reviewed traffic study and saying that there is a “higher order” of traffic impact at this location.
“This is a welcome investment and a good use for this project, and we welcome that always in Saugus,” Reilly said. “It’s a service for local residents that they’ll enjoy, but that shouldn’t be at the expense of a bad design.”
The board approved for a firm, Beta Group, to conduct a traffic study for the area.
The Planning Board will also schedule a visit to the site. It will hold an additional meeting regarding the property, which will be open to the public, on June 20.
