Another ‘Dollar Store’
Proposed for Randolph
By Sandy Vondrasek Cooch

The developer and engineer for a proposed new 9000-square-foot "dollar store" on Route 12 in Randolph were questioned by the Randolph Development Review Board Tuesday night for close to 90 minutes before the DRB closed the hearing to deliberate on the application.

According to Zoning Administrator Mardee Sanchez, the DRB members "pretty much made their decision" on the application, in their Tuesday night deliberative session. However, she said the decision still needs to be drafted, reviewed, and signed, and would probably not be issued until the DRB’s September hearing.

The proposed store would be located on a recently subdivided parcel of land situated across the street from the Gifford Thrift Shop, that is presently owned by James Sault. The land has a steep slope, is forested with pine, and would need considerable site work, including a retaining wall, in order to be developed.

The project would also need a variance, as the proposed development would be 10 to 20 feet from the highway right-of-way, instead of the 40-foot setback mandated by the zoning ordinance.

Sault attended the Tuesday night hearing along with Boston-based developer Ron Kovitz, of Flat Rock Partners, LLC, and project engineer Ron Lyon of DuBois & King.

Kovitz indicated he had drafted the site plan in consultation with representatives of the "Dollar General" chain of retail stores.

He characterized the chain as "the premier discount retailer in the dollar world—the real Cadillac of the group." And, he noted, the Dollar General people were "very, very particular" about the specifics of store siting, parking layout, and traffic flow.

He indicated he would purchase the lot and lease to Dollar General, should permits be granted.

After a detailed presentation from engineer Lyon, the DRB peppered him and Kovitz with questions about the proposed traffic flow, the eight-to-10-foot retaining wall, storm water run-off, and other issues.

The board was particularly critical of the traffic pattern, which would have exiting customer traffic "crossing over" the entrance path for incoming vehicles.

Developer Kovitz indicated that this was one of the items the Dollar General people insisted on.

However, he offered—"if this is the issue"—to build the parking to suit the DRB.

"I’ll flip, and not tell Dollar General," he said.

Stormwater run-off from the parcel, which currently rises 100 vertical feet in its narrow 300-foot depth, was also an issue. Engineer Lyon said the retaining wall and two retention ponds were designed to handle run-off from 10-to-25-year storms.

Gifford Medical Center’s projects manager Theron Manning attended the hearing to address stormwater and landscaping issues. He noted that Gifford had created its own "impoundment" areas, designed by DuBois & King, to accommodate storm flow. Those systems work, but would be overwhelmed if there was additional runoff due to this development, he said.

Project engineer Lyon said that building within the setback was an economic necessity, because siting the project 40 feet from the highway right of way would require a 30-to-35-foot retaining wall.

DRB members noted that the site plan offered no walkways, nor a highway crosswalk, although Kovitz had stated that the store would be a convenient place for Gifford employees and visitors to do some shopping. Lyon indicated that walkways could be added.

Gelatin Decision

Zoning Administrator Sanchez said yesterday that the DRB has finalized its decision of BEG Ltd.’s request to convert a former gelatin factory on Weston Street into a nine-unit condominium. The decision needs one more signature before it can be publicly released, she said.

Also at its Tuesday night hearing, the DRB granted a lot-line adjustment requested by James and Mary Moran and The Danoli Farm, which are properties on the East Randolph-Chelsea Road.