BATH

The Plant Home received three critical votes to move its expansion plans toward reality Tuesday.

The Planning Board cast three unanimous votes favoring the site plan, the subdivision review and a recommendation to allow the City Council to undertake contract rezoning of the site.

Clarification of a few points brought up by abutters on East Lane at the last meeting Aug. 6 included drainage, potential tree damage and use of the small street as an access road for construction vehicles and delivery trucks.

The road access issues were reduced, though not eliminated, by time-of-day restrictions on the use of East Lane by construction traffic.

Other issues that had been agreed to in the last meeting were also written in as restrictions in the final document, including questions about lighting.

Access to the public was created by an easement that will now favor the south end, where there are already walking trails.

Other issues that had been raised — sight limits on Washington Street as it approaches East Lane — were considered but discarded, as there have been no accidents at the intersection.

The proposed drainage system, too, was deemed to be adequate for the expanded uses at the Plant Home. However, as a condition of occupancy, city staff will inspect the new drainage system.

The issue of tree removal was addressed by City Arborist Tom Hoerth, who pointed out that the plan had changed and the tree protection sections were not consistent.

As a consequence, a condition was written into the approval that a tree protection plan will include Hoerth and other city staff working with the contractor to minimize tree loss during the building process.

The easement language and the lease agreements for land the Plant Home does not own will have to be approved by the city solicitor prior to construction.

From here, the Plant Home project moves to the City Council.

There will be two readings of the Plant Home contract rezoning plan, at City Council meetings in October and November. If approved, the contract rezoning goes into effect 21 days from the November meeting.

Don Capaldo, of the Plant Home, said he expects construction will begin in early spring and be complete within a year.

ghamilton@timesrecord.com