DRB chairman Tim Hawkins cast the lone dissenting vote. The application is scheduled to be discussed at the board's July 2 meeting. Though Fitzgerald had hoped to create a facility that could accommodate up to 80 children, the board required her to limit the proposal to 60 children. It also expressed concern about traffic at the site, which is located a few yards from the busy corner of South Main Street and Stebbins Street. Board members noted that Cioffi's Corner Store, a popular hangout spot for local high school students, already had a fairly steady stream of cars entering and exiting its cramped parking lot at any given time of the day.
Traffic becomes most hectic at the start and end of the high school day.
Though several board members echoed Hawkins' concerns, they nevertheless supported Fitzgerald's permit request. Staggered drop-off times, he surmised, would probably reduce the risk of traffic snarls. Some members disapproved of the tentative parking layout for the proposed center, saying it could exacerbate congestion and pose safety hazards. Hawkins, in particular, strongly objected to placing six of the 12 proposed spaces next to the abutting deli parking lot, as suggested in the preliminary plan. Some board members noted that there was presently a dearth of adequate parking at Cioffi's.