The proposed hotel on Central Street in Rockport in part hinges upon the first of its kind notion of satellite parking in Rockport. The scheme, of course, is that the hotel will have provided fully compliant parking under the Land Use Ordinance by way of having some 35 spaces nearly a mile away on Route 1 – the far end of the old Hoboken Gardens. One might imagine that the homeowners along Pascal Avenue with the ‘caution children playing’ signs might not like the notion of shuttles, extra cars, or even ‘electric scooters’ as the applicant has suggested rushing back and forth at all hours. The applicants are unmoved by any concern for safety, traffic, or parking implications.
Interestingly through the appeal process, the appellants have noted some procedural issues with the approval of the satellite parking itself. If you are not aware, they propose leasing space behind what is now the Guinea Ridge Farms greenhouses. You may recall, as most do, that has long been a storage yard for Farley & Sons. What you may really like is how Sarah Gilbert, counsel for the applicant, asserts in her latest written submission to the Zoning Board of Appeals “There is competent evidence in the record to support the Planning Board’s conclusion that the Hoboken Lot has an existing use as a parking lot….” She goes on to state “The referenced C-1 submission from the applicant’s expert, as previously discussed, contains an explicit notation that such parking spots at the Hoboken Lot constitute an existing use….”
These photos were taken today, December 10, 2020. Like Where’s Waldo? we challenge Ms. Gilbert, the applicant’s expert, or anyone to identify the existing parking spaces in these photos.
Applicant’s existing parking lot at 310 Commercial Street for your consideration