DRB Denies Dollar Store,
Reconsiders Blakeman Case

The Randolph Development Review Board (DRB) came to a decision on two controversial applications at its meeting Tuesday night.

One of the decisions was written, signed and made public, while the other still must be signed before it’s made public, according to a board member.

An application for a variance to place a Dollar Store on South Main Street across from Gifford Medical Center was unanimously denied by the DRB, according to board member Frank Reed.

Zoning Administrator Mardee Sanchez was not in her office Wednesday and could not be reached for more explanation.

The second DRB decision—at this point undisclosed—was on the site plan application of Kevin Blakeman for a nine-unit apartment building on Sunset Hill Road.

The DRB had ruled against that application a year ago, by a 4-3 margin, but this summer the Vermont Environmental Court found several flaws in the decision and had kicked the case back to the DRB.

The Blakeman case was not on the pre-published agenda Tuesday evening, and Blakeman himself was not aware that it would be discussed.

Sanchez said Tuesday, however, that it would be taken up, and Reed confirmed yesterday that the DRB had agreed on a new decision. However, that decision must be written up and signed by board members before it is public.

Dollar Store

The Dollar Store proposal had drawn wide criticism in town. It was proposed by the Boston-based developer Flat Rock Partners, LLC, on property owned by James Sault of Randolph. The proposed site rises steeply from the road, and the developer had sought a variance from the 40-foot setback rule, saying that the builidng would have to be placed within 10 or 20 feet of the road because of the steepness of the terrain.

Even then, the developer said, the 9000-square-foot building would require a retaining wall of up to 35 feet high in order to build on the site.

The DRB held a hearing on the application Aug. 21.