The Newcastle Planning Board and Mattson Development appear to be closer to resolving issues facing the proposed Newcastle Harbor House after a lengthy public hearing Sept. 16.
The board did not take action on Mattson Development’s site review application, but agreed to hold a special meeting Thurs., Sept. 30, in order to expedite the process.
Mattson Development already owns the Newcastle Square building. The company hopes to move the Newcastle Publick House restaurant from that building into the first floor of the Newcastle Harbor House at 75 Main St.
In the municipal meeting room at the fire station where last Thursday’s public hearing was held, several rows of folding chairs were full of residents, including three selectmen.
Bob Martin, Chief Operating Officer of Mattson Development, began with a slide presentation, including images of the face of the building and of outdoor lighting fixtures “consistent with what currently exists in the community.”
The company’s plan has undergone several changes since the board’s Aug. 19 meeting. In response to community and official concerns, the plan now includes a one-way loop driveway, a rear entrance and an improved strategy for dealing with storm water runoff.
Martin also spoke about the restaurant’s plans for valet parking, a sticky aspect of negotiations thus far. The restaurant will employ three or four valets at peak times, using the parking area above Newcastle Square as a satellite lot. Mattson is negotiating with other commercial property owners in the area in order to secure additional options, he said.
The Harbor House plan calls for 23 spaces on-site, Martin said. Some of those spaces, however, are set aside for marina slips, while others will be reserved for tenants of office space on the second and third floors and a two-bedroom apartment on the third floor.
Residents, mostly abutters of the two properties involved, voiced a variety of parking-related concerns.
“My bedroom and my neighbor’s bedroom are about 30 feet from the edge of the parking lot,” Lynne Norris said. Although Newcastle Publick House currently uses the lot, if the Harbor House introduces valet parking, “There’s going to be a lot more to-ing and fro-ing than there is right now,” she said.
“Would you consider planting a row of very large evergreen trees?” Norris asked Martin. “The more greenery we have, the better.”
“We’d be happy to plant a buffer,” Martin said. “That’s no problem at all.” Martin also addressed Norris’ concerns about lighting in the upper lot.
“We are very sensitive about the light levels in that area,” he said. “I happen to live above Newcastle Square.” The town has already approved a lighting plan for the upper parking lot, Martin said.
While the restaurant will offer valet parking, many customers will likely decline the service and choose to park themselves, Martin said. Those customers, too, will be able to park above Newcastle Square if they wish.
Sarah Jenkins, the owner and operator of The Tipsy Butler, a bed and breakfast near the upper parking lot, said that, if the new restaurant encourages customers to park at Newcastle Square, “It’s going to become a handy place for a general parking lot.”
Martin said the restaurant, with the help of the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, would monitor the parking lot for improper use.
Some residents expressed concern about delivery trucks accessing the narrow, one-way loop driveway included in the proposal. Tractor-trailers, Martin said, will unload in front of the building, “just like they do at Maritime Farms and all the other twin village businesses.”
“We’re really concerned about patrons using our parking spaces,” a woman from St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church said.
Planning Board Chairman Rick Burt said the same rules apply to parking at St. Andrew’s as parking at any private location. “It’s a question of posting and enforcing the postings,” he said.
Martin pointed out that the restaurant’s busiest evenings will not coincide with church meetings.
Bonnie Stone, a resident of Glidden Street, asked what would happen if another restaurant moves into Newcastle Square and needs the upper parking lot.
“That’s an easy answer,” Martin said. “We own the building.” Mattson Development will not rent the space to another restaurant, he said. Instead, the current location of the Newcastle Publick House will become office or retail space.
Burt repeatedly reminded residents that the pertinent town ordinance does not require applicants to provide a certain number of parking spaces. “All we’re concerned about is finding a moderate amount of safe parking,” he said.
Burt did ask, however, if the public thought the planning board should require valet parking as a condition of approval. Opinions on a formal requirement were mixed, but the discussion led to more parking-related discussion.
“This is a village,” Martin said. “If you go to [King Eider’s Pub], there’s no parking at [King Eider’s Pub].”
“The employees are going to need somewhere to park,” Norris said.
“Employee parking will be at [Newcastle Square],” Martin said.
“If we went with this valet parking, how enforceable is it?” Newcastle Selectman Lee Straw asked.
“You don’t have an ordinance that requires you to smile when a customer comes in,” Martin said. “[Valet parking] is an economic issue for the proprietor.”
“I have grave concerns with anyone crossing that intersection in front of the sidewalk,” another woman said. “Where are the crosswalks?”
“We all know that the intersection [of Main Street, Mills Road and Academy Hill Road] is difficult to navigate, especially if you haven’t seen it before,” Martin said. He did point out, however, that crosswalks exist in front of the Newcastle Town Office and the Second Congregational Church.
Burt raised the possibility of noise issues related to the restaurant’s deck or exhaust fans on the building’s roof, but Martin quickly dismissed the issue. “You’re going to hear more traffic on Main Street than the exhaust fans,” he said. As far as noise from the deck, Martin said it would be difficult for abutters to tell if the noise came from Schooner Landing, from boaters, or from the Harbor House.
In a short break from fielding questions about parking, Martin offered a brief, vague description of the inside of the restaurant. The basement level, accessible from the rear of the building, will include a prep kitchen. The first floor will hold the restaurant, as well as an open finishing kitchen and, possibly, an oyster bar.
The rear deck will seat about 40 people and the second and third floors will have balconies. The entire restaurant will seat about 150 people, compared to about 120 at the Publick House’s current location.
Burt and town attorney Peter Drum said the town will require Mattson Development to start and complete construction within a certain period of time and, if the company fails to do so, the town may require them to remove any incomplete structure on the site.
The board also expects Mattson Development to provide a site plan for the Newcastle Square parking lot, Burt said.
After closing the hearing, Burt told Martin and several other project representatives that the board wouldn’t approve the permit that night.
“We’re beginning to bump into winter,” Martin said. “At a certain point in the near future we’d actually like to engage in construction.”
“We have every interest in expediting this project for you,” Burt said.
Mattson Development also needs approval from the Newcastle Board of Selectmen. The selectmen also serve as the town’s design review board. The design review process considers the exterior aesthetics of buildings within the town’s design review district, Burt said.
Town Administrator Ron Grenier said he expects Mattson Development to submit an application and meet with the board at their Mon., Oct. 11 (Columbus Day) meeting.
The Newcastle Planning Board will meet Thurs., Sept. 30 at 7 p.m. in the community meeting room at the fire station on River Road. Application materials are available for review at the Newcastle Town Office.
