Groton Inn Addresses Lighting, Parking, Hours of Operation & HVAC Issues

The Groton Planning Board closed the public hearing for a Special Permit Modification for the Site Plan Review for the Groton Inn at 124 Main Street.

Principal John Amaral told the Board that his team has addressed concerns expressed by Nitsch Engineering regarding hours of operation, landscaping and lighting.

The plan calls for the lighting to go off at 11 p.m. and lights in the pedestrian area of the property would have a 30 percent reduction to maintain enough lighting for emergencies. He said that a tree would be added to break up the façade of the building. He also pointed out that the plan has an addition of a small cooling tower on the property line with 134 Main Street, and the addition of a bike rack.

Amaral noted that parking on the site was at a premium, and that valet parking would be available. There will be a total of 137 parking spaces for the property.

He envisioned that the Inn and the 100 seat restaurant would be a venue for smaller weddings and rehearsal dinners - where guests would stay at the Inn noting that the larger rooms overlooking Gibbet Hill would be ideal for business meetings.

Planner John Giger questioned the cooling tower, pointing out that it was close to the neighbors and wanted to know about the noise generated by the tower. Amaral said that they used consultants that specialized in HVAC, adding that this tower was lower than the one in the formerly approved plan.

The Board voted to close the Public Hearing. Amaral agreed to provide them with a letter from Fire Chief Steele McCurdy on the emergency easement adequacy; potential to relocate the cooling tower and identify the decibels given off by the tower and provide the previous traffic generation numbers.