SHELBURNE FALLS — Are zoning requirements for village parking restricting growth and redevelopment of buildings in Shelburne Falls?
The Shelburne Planning Board is hosting a public forum Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. to get comments and suggestions about possible changes to the town’s Zoning Bylaw parking regulations.
Currently, one set of parking requirements applies to building projects anywhere in town: The parking requirements for retail shops and apartments on Bridge Street are the same as they are for buildings on Route 2, in commercial zones.
This is a chance for residents to look at the first draft of the Planning Board’s bylaw revisions and attend a public discussion. Those who can’t attend may also send their comments to the Planning Board.
Current zoning regulations require the building owners to provide two parking spaces per dwelling, one space per retail employee and an additional “customer” parking space for every 150 square feet of retail floor space. Under this zoning regulation, the redevelopment of the former Singley’s Furniture property would require 17 to 20 off-street parking spaces, plus eight off-street parking spaces for the four apartments planned for the new building’s second floor.
Potter Molly Cantor, who wants to build a new pottery gallery and pottery studio where the former Swan Building was, on Bridge Street, got a waiver to put a reduced number of four parking spaces on the building lot. However, she gave up the idea of building apartments on a second story, because of parking concerns.
The draft proposal for the town’s “village commercial district” says: “No new parking spaces shall be required with respect to new structures, or uses, additions to existing structures or uses and change of use in existing structures … provided that any existing parking spaces (are) not eliminated without replacement on the same site.”
For those building apartments, the proposed change would require developers to provide two parking spaces for apartments with two or more bedrooms, but just one parking space for one-bedroom or studio apartments.
“Over the past couple of years, the ZBA (Zoning Board of Appeals) has had to review projects where meeting the town parking requirements has been a significant issue,” the Planning Board said in a news release. “The ZBA has the authority to waive and negotiate parking requirements for projects and has asked the Planning Board for guidance to help them use their discretionary power effectively and in the best interest of the town.”
The Planning Board has been discussing whether redevelopment of older buildings in the village center should be required to create new on-site parking spaces, should one-bedroom and studio apartments be required to have two parking spaces, and how to determine what is in the town’s best interest when a special permit is being reviewed.
A copy of the draft bylaw revisions is online at:
townofshelburne.com or through email at: Planning@townofshelburne.com