The planning board, at its Monday, March 24, meeting, backed a pair of applications submitted by the Bristol Warren Regional School District to make major alterations to the parking lots at the Kickemuit Middle and Hugh Cole Elementary schools in town.

The board's support is contingent upon accepting the recommendations made by members of the body as well as receiving necessary approvals from Coastal Resource Management Council (CRMC) and the state Department of Environmental Management (DEM).

Speaking on behalf of the district were a few of its consultants, including David Potter, a civil engineer and vice president with the Pare Corporation. Potter described the projects in great detail, noting about Kickemuit specifically the concept is to streamline ingress and egress for both buses and parental vehicles in the hectic morning and afternoon times of heavy use.

Potter termed the Kickemuit grounds as "one giant parking lot," which is difficult to navigate "because there's no separation or sort of circulation pattern." The redesign is aimed at "keeping things organized during the arrival and then the pickup periods."

He continued, "One of the goals for the school has been to redesign the parking lot in a way that provides some more structure for that circulation to happen, keeping how people, how parents pick up their children and buses separate. That's the key is to keep those separated. We also wanted to provide safety improvements for the students to be able to walk safely across sidewalks as they head south or north."

A meaningful amount of parking spots at KMS will remain as proposed. Potter put the total number at 217 spaces, 10 more than zoning dictates require for the property.

The composition of the existing lot at Kickemuit also gained the attention of the both the town's tree commission and department of public works. In environmental terms, the large asphalt expanse is known as a "hot spot," which gathers and holds an extreme amount of heat.

Board member K. Jenny Flanagan, who also sits on the tree body, as well as its chair, Chuck Staton, suggested the district seek to add as many trees as possible during the renovation to create a better "canopy."

Potter noted the firm of Perkins Eastman, which is managing the landscape elements of the project, has included several plantings in the proposal, but he would urge the team to attempt to include additional trees in the final design while also keeping in mind the ability for snowplows to maneuver and snow removal to take place.

Another environmental consideration of the KMS as a whole is a new roof planned as part of the building refurbishment will be white in color so as to reflect rather than absorb heat.

The Hugh Cole plan is also aimed at alleviating congestion while also decreasing impervious surface there.

Potter said the current design shrinks the amount of pavement by some 12,500 square feet. He continued, even with the reduction in asphalt,  similar to KMS, 146 parking spots will be available, 11 more than are required by zoning mandates.

An often overlooked aspect of the KMS and Hugh Cole parking lots is its location as a conduit to the East Bay Bike Path.

Board Chairman Fred Massie requested the design incorporate enough bike racks and parking spaces to accommodate residents once the "Broken Bridge" project is completed, which is expected soon.

"The purpose of that bridge across the Kickemuit (River) to the bike path spur was "Safe to Schools" (federal grant program) and it allows people from the western side of the town, which is the most populous part of it, to come across on bicycles or on foot rather than go down Child Street," Massie said.

An element of some consternation for town officials was the condition and planned use in the design of an existing stormwater drainage pipe under the KMS lot.

DPW Director Brian Wheeler expressed concerns if the pipe was in working order and/or could handle any increased flow. He also sought clarification on what entity, the town or the school district, would be responsible for its upkeep.

Potter explained after using a camera to inspect the pipe, it was certainly in need of repair.

A significant amount of the pipe, approximately 219 feet and which runs from the athletic field to Child Street, had collapsed and will be replaced.

A number of manholes will be situated along the length of the pipe for better access. As well, a new trench drain will be installed at the main entrance to the field and additional catch basins will be situated to better regulate runoff during storms.

Tourister application
Aside the school parking matters, the board also gave a unanimous recommendation to its counterparts on the zoning board for a request from Tourister Mill, represented by counsel John McCoy.

Tourister is seeking a waiver from the Waterfront Overlay District Development Plan to convert some commercial space to residential.

McCoy noted twice since the Tourister project came on line in 2014, it had approached the board to for a similar waiver, the last being in 2020.

The proposal includes the conversion of 2,500 square foot of commercial space into residential.

McCoy explained the project entails no exterior work. It's all interior. As well, the existing parking plan "is still good." In fact, he continued, less parking is required for residential as opposed to commercial space.

Massie wondered as happened on the last approach if there was a need to raise the floor because the area on site was below the flood plain.

Chris Lewis, an architect with Brady Sullivan Properties LLC, the owners, replied the specific piece is above flood plain.

Asked by the board alternate Richard Matton about the rental status of the new space, whether it would be let as "affordable," Sullivan said, no, that the "majority of our portfolio is market rate and we would like to continue that going forward."

Another "Settlers Green" continuance
For yet another forum, by count the fourth in a row, the attorneys representing Last Ever Realty LLC and its proposed "Settlers Green" developed asked for and received a continuance of the proceedings.

According to Board Chairman Fred Massie the continuance was granted because the engineering study requested by the town has not yet taken place. As a point of clarification, both parties are seeking the results of the study so as to have a full understanding of requirements necessary f the proposal to move forward. And from the perspective of both if it is feasible.

The item is expected to once again be placed on the Planning Board's next monthly meeting scheduled for Monday, April 28.

Old Marina update
The bulk of the March 24 meeting discussion surrounding a request by the owners of structures at 66 Church St. seeking to change the allowed uses for the Old Warren Marina to include a brewery/restaurant.

After some two-and-a-half hours of points and counterpoints, the board unanimously voted to forward a negative recommendation to the town council based on the finding the proposed change would significantly alter the waterfront sub-district standard.

Following the meeting, the owners pulled the application and will not be pursuing the matter at the moment.