Hamilton Planning Board Sets July 26 Closing Arguments for Tobacco Hill Senior Housing Permit

HAMILTON — July 12, 2022 — Hamilton Planning Board sets July 26 closing arguments for contested 50-unit Tobacco Hill senior housing project. The board voted 6-0 Tuesday to continue the special permit hearing for Tobacco Hill Capital Partners LLC to July 26, after receiving final evidence on a blasted rock handling plan, a disputed vernal pool near Tobacco Road, and a construction schedule estimated at four to five years. Town peer reviewer Jamie Emery of GZA GeoEnvironmental endorsed the three-tiered groundwater protection plan — which includes a lined wash basin, eight on-site monitoring wells, and off-site residential well sampling within 1,000 feet — as the most protective he had seen for a bedrock blasting project, and told the board drinking water would be safe if the plan were strictly followed. Independent oversight inspections were estimated at under $15,000 annually. Attorney Jill Mann of Mann and Mann acknowledged mislabeled phasing documents and committed to corrections, while town counsel noted on the record that a May 21 email from board member Richard Boroff misstated the legal standard for special permit decisions, a matter to be addressed before deliberations begin.