Hearing on Charlotte Furnace Road construction postponed

Mar 14, 2017

A public hearing on a proposed Charlotte Furnace Road business park was postponed to April 10 at 7 p.m. in the Multi-Service Center because not all abutters were informed beforehand.

The Planning Board hearing was originally scheduled to start Monday night. It was postponed because letters notifying abutters of the hearing were not mailed out in time to reach everyone.

“[The notices] went out too late for this hearing,” said Director of Planning & Community Development Ken Buckland. He added “it was the town’s responsibility” when asked if the applicant, C&J Hunt Construction Services, was responsible for the late mailing.

Four people who arrived for the hearing exited soon after the Planning Board made its decision.

The hearing was set to review a plan that calls for constructing six, roughly 10,000 square foot buildings in the town’s “Business Development Overlay District.” Located in the northwest corner of Wareham, the zone was created 12 years ago by Town Meeting to attract businesses that aren’t heavily industrial or solely focused on retail.

C&J Hunt Construction Services plans to locate its general contracting business at the site, as well as two subsidiaries (Saltwater Woodworks and Spectrum Wood Finishes) related to home and commercial construction. Plans call for leasing the remaining buildings to complimentary businesses.

The site is now home to a 6-acre, undeveloped site located across from the entrance of Acoaxet Lane.

At the end of Monday’s meeting, Buckland recommended board members review the Business Development Overlay District bylaw before the hearing to ensure the project meets town regulations.