Site analysis of FriendlySite analysis of Friendly’s for a community playground
Background
Friendly’s is zoned General Business District (GB), which has very permissive dimensional standards. GB has no minimum frontage, area, depth, or front or side yard setback. Required
open space is only 5%. Rear yard setback is practicallya minimum of 20’. (Setback is 6’ but there is a 30’ rear landscaped buffer requirement, which can be reduced to 20’ with a rear
fence and Planning Board site plan approval).
The biggest limitation in the general business district is the restrictive parking requirements: one parking spot is required per multifamily dwelling unit, one space per two restaurant
seats, one space per 300 square feet of retail or general office, and one space per 200 square feet of medical use.
The Planning Board can reduce parking requirements for a project to allow dual uses (e.g., a parking spot might count for retail use during the day and residential use at night) or off-site
parking, or both. This creates an incentive for adjacent properties to combine their parking lots, allowing for more flexibility on when and how parking spaces are utilized.
Planning Board site plan approval is needed to reduce parking requirements and/or to reduce the rear landscaped buffer. If this was connected to a playground, the site plan standards
on separating pedestrian travel from vehicle travel would apply, which might not be possible on this site.
Friendly’s building and parking lot are at or near the front and side property boundaries, leaving no room for a playground there without reducing the number of parking spots. There
is room between the rear of the parking lot and the southerly property boundary for playground equipment, although the majority of this area is part of the landscape buffer where trees
cannot be cut.
Conclusions
Playground possible: There is room for a small community playground just south of the Friendly’s parking lot, in a narrow band between the parking lot and the do-not-disturb landscape
buffer.
Fencing might increase options: The landscape buffer requirement drops to 20’ if the Planning Board approves that reduction with a fence on the property’s southerly boundary. This fence,
however, could damage some of the trees.
Playground reduced redevelopment potential: Any playground that extends beyond the landscape buffer could reduce parking opportunities. This would significantly reduce the re-development
potential (larger or taller building) of the Friendly’s site.
Only permanent open space would meet grant requirements: Friendly’s would retain the most options for the future by granting a revocable or expiring permission for a playground, but
that would make any improvements ineligible for CPA or most state and federal grants.
A Friendly’s playground would be hard to access: Unless Friendly’s gave up parking, which would dramatically reduce the value and development potential of their site, a playground would
have to be in the extreme rear of the lot and very close to the parking lot.
Site Plan Approval is not certain: Site plan approval for parking reductions and/or landscaped buffer reductions is not certain if it is to create a playground that might not be safe
for children to access.