Intergas Station Remodel On North Main Gets Planning Board Approval
A proposed remodel of the Intergas fueling station at 6 and 10 North Main Street received unanimous approval from the Falmouth Planning Board on December 14.
The applicant, Joseph Saade, first went before the board in August for a public hearing that was continued to further hearings after concerns regarding the lack of a substantial buffer were raised by abutters. The issues abutters had with the plan have since been resolved.
The project will produce an overall change in the appearance of the Intergas gas station at the corner of Depot Avenue and North Main Street, including the demolition of a small vacant building at the southern border of the property that was once Dee’s clothing store. Changes to the gas station will include new shrubbery, lights, an expanded parking lot with 15 spaces, five of which will be for used car sales, and three fueling islands under an overhead canopy. Per the request of the abutters, the final draft of the plans also include additional landscaping, less invasive lighting, relocation of the sign, an 8-foot cedar fence and a buffer increase of about 20 feet.
The applicant’s engineer, Halim A. Choubah, also spent time at previous hearings outlining plans for an improved traffic pattern in the area, which include closing off part of the excessively large curb-cut entrance to the station to create a safer route for cars entering and exiting. As a result, the new plans outline just two curb cuts, eliminating the middle of the open curb cut onto North Main and the curb cut onto Depot Avenue. Cars will be able to enter and exit through either driveway, and any traffic that goes through the lot and behind the building will be directed in a one-way flow that enters from the southern driveway and exits through the northern driveway.
Traffic exiting the station through the southern driveway will be limited to a right turn only, a decision made by the applicant and engineers to eliminate creating a dangerous situation at the corner where Locust Street meets North Main. Mr. Choubah said he felt it was too dangerous to allow left turns out of the southern driveway because of visibility concerns around the corner of Locust and North Main.
The board commended both Mr. Saade and Mr. Choubah on their responsiveness to the concerns and questions of the board, the engineering and planning departments and the abutters.
The board clarified that there are still a few steps to be completed before construction can begin, including driveway permitting and building code review, but members were pleased overall with the project before them and the effort made on behalf of the applicant.
“That’s a good project,” chairwoman Charlotte Harris said. “I hope they have good luck moving it forward quickly.”