Neighbors voice concerns over Wake Robin Inn expansion

SALISBURY — Public comment was uniformly negative at the first session of the Planning and Zoning Commission’s public hearing on the renovation and expansion of the Wake Robin Inn, held online on Tuesday, Sept. 3.

The hearing was continued to Tuesday, Sept. 17, 6 p.m. (online only).

The plans include renovations to the existing Inn, removal of existing detached motel buildings in favor of a new events barn, 12 new guest cottages, renovation of one existing cottage, a new spa/gym building and associated amenities, landscaping and buffer enhancements, removal and restoration of former inground pool, removal of the existing main structure at 53 Wells Hill Road in favor of a new pool house, inground pool, renovation of one existing garage for storage on the Wells Hill property, one new storage shed on the Inn property and associated walkway, driveway and parking improvements throughout the property.

Mark Arrigoni of SLR Consulting in Cheshire handled the bulk of the presentation.

He began by noting there are two parcels involved: The existing Wake Robin Inn at 11.3 acres, and 53 Wells Hill Road, currently a residential parcel at 2.3 acres.

Plus AT&T’s contractor is planning to begin construction on a cell phone tower on a leased portion of the Wake Robin property Nov. 1, Arrigoni said.

Steven Cohen of Aradev LLC gave an overview of the plan for the Wake Robin, saying the intention is to bring it “back to what it was many years ago,” a full resort with numerous recreational activities.

The plan is to expand the hotel to 71 rooms, add 12 new guest cottages built above ground and under the tree canopy as much as possible, a new spa and gym building, a new pool with an associated bar, and an events barn.

Arrigoni said he is in the process of responding to a third party engineering study of the plan. The applicant is also currently before the Salisbury Inland Wetlands and Watercourses Commission.

During public comment many concerns were raised. They included: Water flowing off the inn property into neighboring properties on Sharon Road; light pollution; noise, especially if events go as far into the evening as 2 a.m. (despite the applicant’s assurance that all activities will be moved inside by 9 p.m.).

The Wells Hill Road neighbors were particularly vocal about the idea of a pool and gym plus parking interfering with their neighborhood’s quiet nature, both visually and aurally.

Angela Cruger said that she had only received notice of the hearing in late August, and had hired an attorney. She said she did not have time to study and prepare for the hearing.

P&Z chair Michael Klemens assured Cruger (and her attorney) that the hearing would be continued and that extending the deadline for closing a hearing is routine.

After public comment the commissioners discussed what they would like the applicant to address on Sept. 17, including: a tree preservation plan, more about noise mitigation, the lighting plan, more detail about the parking on the Wells Hill Road side of the project, and more information on water runoff on the Sharon Road side.

Klemens asked the commission if a third party should be hired to do a peer review on the applicant’s traffic study, and the commission agreed.