Residents pitch underground garage for Hyundai dealership – Community Advocate

Drone photography shows the site of the proposed Hyundai dealership. (Photo/Tami White)

WESTBOROUGH – Parking and a letter took center stage at the latest public hearing for the proposed Hyundai dealership.

At the start of the hearing, Planning Board Chairman Mark Silverberg read a letter presented to the board that afternoon from Edmund A. Alcott, an attorney representing the residents of Villages at Walker Meadow.

The residential community abuts the proposed dealership, which would be developed at 180-182 Turnpike Road.

The residents opposed the project in the letter, citing the parking garage and the planned hours of operation, which would be daily from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

“This looks like a Florida-style project rather than a New England-style project,” the letter said.

Hyundai dealership proposed

The developers are proposing to demolish the existing buildings and construct a 46,843-square-foot building with a two-level parking deck.

The residents suggested the dealership have an underground garage, or at least have the garage covered.

Walker Board of Trustees Chairperson Wayne Webster requested a clarification of the number of parking spaces at the site.

According to attorney Marshall Gould, there would be 435 spaces — 237 surface and 198 parking deck spaces.

Planning Board member Hazel Nourse asked why so many spaces were required given that vehicles could be ordered and delivered without the need to visit a dealership.

Gould replied that the site “was not being designed for the pandemic, but for the franchise.” He added that the spaces would reduce the need for off-site parking.

On the subject of an underground garage, Gould said he didn’t know of any other dealerships between Route 20 and Lyman Street with an underground garage. He added that he was “aware of at least four dealerships with off-site parking areas.”

Silverberg asked whether the number of spaces could be reduced, or at least find a middle ground.

“You’ve made a lot of concessions on this site, and we appreciate it, but we also have to think about the neighbors,” he said.

The Hyundai dealership hearing was continued to Nov. 15.

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