The Church Street corridor is poised for a significant facelift following the Planning Board's unanimous approval on March 9 to demolish an existing service station and replace it with a modern Honey Farms Market and fueling facility. The project at 208 Church Street, which has undergone several months of review, will feature a new convenience store and an eight-stack fueling layout. During the hearing, the development team highlighted minor plan adjustments, including the addition of a generator and the relocation of an air tower. Engineer Luke DiStefano noted that the site is being prepared for the future of transportation, stating, There is a spot in the southwest corner of the parking lot where we've identified room for potential EV charging stations should they be something that needs to be added or wants to be added at this location.

Traffic and safety remained central to the board's final evaluation. Jason Adams, representing Bowman Consulting, reported that Saturday peak hours are actually 10% to 20% lower than weekday peaks, easing concerns about weekend congestion. However, member Stephan Roundtree urged the developers to consider the rise of delivery services. Uber Eats drivers could be potentially coming and going, Roundtree said. I would suggest that you label parking spaces for them because the mentality of a person coming to pick stuff up... it could be a dangerous situation to allow them to go anywhere within your site. Traffic peer reviewer Kirsten Braun emphasized the importance of maintaining clear sightlines, noting that the board wants to make sure that any snow mounds within the site triangles also are kept low so as not to impede site distances. Motion Made by D. Taylor to grant waivers for Section 5.1.2-3 (landscape strip), Section 5.2.5 (site lighting levels), and Section 6 (full developmental impact study components). Motion Passed 5-0. Following the waiver approval, the board moved to finalize the project. Motion Made by D. Taylor to approve Site Plan SP8-25 for 208 Church Street. Motion Passed 5-0.

The board also turned its attention to a growing town-wide concern: the lack of specific zoning for standalone Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS). Resident Susan Ballinger, who is also leading a resident appeal against a previously approved BESS project on Schoosett Street, presented a draft bylaw intended to provide the town with more leverage over such facilities. Ballinger explained that her goal is to ensure the town is prepared for large, grid-connected units that often resemble shipping containers. The goal of the draft bylaw is not to prohibit them at all, Ballinger told the board. It's simply to ensure that the projects are located in appropriate districts, that the safety documentation is available before approval, and that emergency responders have clear protocols.

Board members expressed technical concerns regarding the safety of these systems. Member Stephan Roundtree pointed out potential risks in the supply chain, noting, In the battery industry, first-grade batteries are ones that are able to charge down and back up. Those that fall out, those batteries tend to end up in commercial applications. Which means that they're less than first quality. Chair Andrew Wandell, who also serves as the town’s Conservation Agent, suggested the town must be careful not to over-regulate to the point of legal vulnerability. I would love to have a working group or maybe a couple of working meetings with Town Counsel at least to get us through this, Wandell said. I know that Duxbury is having some issues with its bylaw being a little too restrictive, so we want to avoid that. The board subsequently formed a working group consisting of Roundtree and Vice-Chair Alysha Siciliano-Perry to refine the proposal for a future Town Meeting warrant.

In other business, D&D Mulch and Landscape, Inc. received approval to relocate its operations from Old Oak Street to a parcel on Oak Street. Owner Paul Dohy explained that the business has operated in Pembroke for a decade and is moving to a better-suited site. While the board was supportive, Chair Wandell informed Dohy that he must seek a Special Permit from the Zoning Board of Appeals for the outdoor storage of mulch, which is classified as an outdoor display of goods. One thing I notice on here is you have the mulch outside, Wandell noted. You really should go to the ZBA and get a special permit for that use. Dohy agreed to the process, though he noted, when I met with the building inspector and everybody in town, I was told we probably didn't even need anything. But I don't like staying in a town unless everybody knows what we're doing and how we're doing it. Motion Made by D. Taylor to approve the conditions as amended for Site Plan SP1-26. Motion Passed 5-0.

The meeting concluded with two Approval Not Required (ANR) lot adjustments. The board reviewed a plan for 105 Priscilla Drive to redefine the perimeters of three existing lots. During this discussion, Chair Wandell recused himself, and Vice-Chair Siciliano-Perry facilitated the review. Motion Made by D. Taylor to approve Form A 26-01. Motion Passed 4-0-1 (A. Wandell abstaining). Additionally, the board approved a plan to carve a new two-acre lot from a larger seven-acre parcel at 406 High Street. Member James Noone, participating remotely, joined his colleagues in confirming the new lot met the 150-foot frontage requirement. Motion Made by D. Taylor to approve Form A 26-02. Motion Passed 5-0.