Pepperell Planning Board Continues 1A Auto Mill Site Hearing to April 13

PEPPERELL — March 9, 2015 — Pepperell Planning Board continues 1A Auto mill site hearing to April 13 after detailed first session. The board opened Special Permit 2015-02 on March 9 for Green 1A Investments LLC's plan to redevelop the former Pepperell Paper Mill at 128 Main Street and 23 Mill Street into a 101,000-square-foot, three-story office building for 1A Auto Parts, with 355 constructed parking spaces, a studio garage, employee daycare, fitness room, cafeteria, and a public riverwalk along the Nashua River. Town Administrator Mark Andrews told the board he expects the project's economic multiplier effect to "approach two million dollars per year" cycling through the local economy, citing 150 new jobs and 95 retained positions. Pepperell Police Chief Scott submitted a written comment stating he could offer "no reasonable price solution" to the existing safety deficiencies at the Main Street, Mill Street, and Canal Street intersection, which exceeds the MassDOT average crash rate and will see increased traffic from the project. The Conservation Commission has a concurrent Notice of Intent hearing scheduled for March 17 and formally requested that the applicant consider daylighting Greens Brook, currently culverted underground through the site.