If a plan shown to the Planning Board Monday evening advances from the conceptual to the concrete, Harvard will be home to a 92-unit assisted-living facility—a facility that would share an 11-acre parcel with 8,000 square feet of commercial space. The complex, if built, would be at the corner of Ayer and Old Mill roads, with the bulk of the lot on Old Mill Road.
Planners saw the conceptual plan for the first time at their Monday meeting, when site engineer Bruce Ringwall of Goldsmith, Prest, and Ringwall unveiled drawings of a large building, surrounded by trees, a center courtyard, near a brook, a pond, and a picturesque walking trail. The 92 units would be identical, with a kitchen, living room, bedroom, and bath. The building would range in height from two to three stories, with three stories at the property’s lower points, and two at the upland areas.
Common space in the facility would integrate limited commerce, such as a beauty shop or other establishment that might appeal to the residents.
The 8,000-square-foot commercial component would probably show its face to Ayer Road, according to information available at Monday’s meeting. As of Tuesday afternoon, conceptual drawings had not yet been deposited at Town Hall, but at the hearing, Ringwall said, “From Ayer Road to Bowers Brook would be commercial, the rest residential.” The conceptual plan does not include a request for permits.
The purpose of meeting with the Planning Board, according to landowner Robert Marhefka of Worcester, was to introduce what he believes is an appropriate use for, in his words, a very beautiful piece of land. The property is a combination of woodland and field, with a walking trail leading to nearby Foxglove Apartments. Marhefka says the property has percolated at least once, and that more tests will be conducted when the current results expire.
Another important goal, according to both Ringwall and Marhefka, was for the proposers of the plan to receive guidance about the property’s best use, and to interpret the meaning and intent of applicable zoning law. “We’re looking for advice from the Planning Board. They’ll know what the obstacles are and what waivers might be needed,” Marhefka said in an interview Tuesday.
According to engineer Ringwall, the project as currently conceived will employ Mixed Use Village Development zoning (125-13-Z), because the property’s dimensions most closely match the frontage requirements of the mixed use bylaw. The bylaw’s requirements do not fit the commercial part of the project as precisely, so Ringwall said his client might either request waivers or apply for a permit under another bylaw. “We are here for discussion purposes,” he added.
For now, the owner does not want to apply to the town and state for a comprehensive permit under 40B.
Also present at the meeting was Ed Plante, Sr., who was, according to Marhefka, acting in the capacity of “advisor and friend.” Marhefka, who owns the property through his company Pleasant Properties, Inc, said Tuesday that he had not yet chosen a builder and would put the project out to bid when the time was right. He has owned the property for about a year.
The board reacted with interest, though Chairwoman Mary Essary made it clear the planners would need more information before they could offer a detailed response. “In general, it seems a good location for its proximity to a doctor’s office, a short walking trail, not to mention the pizza place,” she said. Ringwall told the board that an information packet is forthcoming.
