DEERFIELD — A peer review for the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office Regional Dog Shelter’s proposed location off Plain Road East has found no “fatal flaws” that would pose a risk to public health or safety, according to the engineer, but there are some details regarding traffic and noise that need to be addressed.

Specifically, these details include taking another look at the traffic impact evaluation for the roughly 7,000-square-foot facility by providing more specific estimates for different times of day. The Police Department is also requesting the town place noise limitations on the facility, if possible.

Tighe & Bond Senior Engineer Tim Grace, who co-authored the peer review, said the project’s site plan provides adequate access for emergency services and the “stormwater management system will do what it’s supposed to do.” With all that in consideration, Grace said the project just needs to iron out some details before proceeding.

“There’s nothing indicating this site can’t support this type of development,” Grace said, adding that much of what Tighe & Bond found is “dotting i’s and crossing t’s.” “We didn’t really see anything with the layout, or like I said earlier, fatal flaws that will pose a risk to the general health and safety of the public.”

The Friends of the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office Regional Dog Shelter — the nonprofit formed to raise money for the shelter’s services — is proposing construction of a new building as it has outgrown the deteriorating 1,570-square-foot facility on Sandy Lane in Turners Falls. The nonprofit purchased the Plain Road East parcel in March 2024 for $135,000.

With Tighe & Bond’s peer review being submitted on April 4, the Planning Board and Berkshire Design Group Landscape Architect Carlos Nieto had little to discuss Monday, as he needed to bring the review back to his team and refine the project plans.

“We’ll have changes, but we won’t have them immediately,” Nieto said. “There’s nothing here that I would say we’re really going to push back on.”

Residents again pushed back on the development, as they said Plain Road East, which is only 14 feet wide, is too small to handle the additional traffic they say the shelter will bring to the quiet dead-end neighborhood.

“I am concerned about the amount of traffic they are talking about,” said resident Sura Vollinger. “I’ve lived here 17 years — there’s probably about 15 trips a day between all the neighbors.”

Residents again brought up the possibility of creating an access driveway from Routes 5 and 10, but Nieto said wetlands in the area would pose an immense obstacle for state Department of Environmental Protection and Army Corps of Engineers permits. Those permitting processes also require applicants to look at alternative methods for access and the agencies would determine Plain Road East is the best point of access for the project, according to Nieto.

Berkshire Design Group’s traffic impact study estimated 107 daily trips for the facility, but Nieto said that is a significantly inflated number because a dog shelter is a unique use and doesn’t have a formula that traffic engineers can use. Instead, he previously said the facility can expect between 20 and 50 visits a day.

Planning Board member Emily Gaylord said the 107 estimate is “freaking people out a little bit” and asked if it would be possible to get a more accurate number. Nieto said he can take a look at the plans and formulas to try to generate the exact number.

One change for the project did come before the Planning Board, though, as Nieto said the Fire Department informed him it would not need a turn-around for fire engines.

Planning Board Chair Denise Mason said she conducted a site visit last week with Fire Chief William Swasey and Police Chief John Paciorek Jr. During that meeting, she said they came to the conclusion that the Department of Public Works could trim back any trees or foliage on the narrow road and a yellow line could be painted.

“The fire chief said it’s a straight shot,” Mason said. “He doesn’t have any issues with that.”

A concern from Paciorek, noted on the Planning Board’s request for comments form, was safety at the intersection of Routes 5 and 10, North Main Street and Mill Village Road — which was also noted by residents — as well as ensuring there is some sort of sound restriction to prevent disturbances to the neighborhood.

“Noise limitations and hour restrictions should be placed on the facility, if legally allowed — lesson learned from Tree House [Brewing Co.] concerts,” Paciorek wrote.

At March’s hearing, Nieto said the ambient noise of the site, which abuts Interstate 91, is about 60 to 65 decibels. A dog bark can top out at 90 decibels when next to the source, but the sound level is about 45 decibels when 300 feet away from the source. The nearest abutter’s home is about 300 feet from the building and the outdoor kennels are sited on the rear of the shelter.

With Nieto needing to update the project’s plans, the Planning Board opted to continue the public hearing to its May meeting. The shelter will also reappear before the Zoning Board of Appeals on April 17, following its March 20 meeting.

Documents for the project can be viewed on the Planning Board or Zoning Board of Appeals’ calendar pages on the Deerfield town website at bit.ly/4kn3UAq.

Chris Larabee can be reached at clarabee@recorder.com.