Statement of Grounds for 207 Highland Ave. STATEMENT OF GROUNDS FOR SPECIAL PERMITS
FOR 207 HIGHLAND AVENUE
Petitioner Rudolfo Deoliveira d/b/a as Rogus Motor Group, LLC, a Massachusetts limited
liability company, seeks approval of a 1) a Special Permit to allow it to operate an automobile
dealership specializing in the sale, service, general and body repair of used passenger motor
vehicles at this location, and 2) to approve some shared parking with the other tenant at the
locus, a medical dialysis clinic. Such approval may be granted where the Board determines that
the adverse effects of this proposed use will not outweigh its beneficial impacts to the City or
neighborhood considering the criteria for approval of Special Permits under Section 9.4.2 of the
Ordinance.
The property owner, Charles Patsios d/b/a Highland Realty Trust, has consented in
writing to this petition and such use of the property. A copy is attached to the Petition.
The locus contains about 32,802 SF of land (about % acre) containing 153 paved parking
spaces, and a large commercial/office style structure that has historically been used by auto
dealerships, including, for many years Hillcrest Chevrolet and Highland Motors. Since the auto
dealerships vacated the property, general small business and charitable uses have been made of
portions of the structure, although these uses have ceased to operate here.
In 2015, this Board granted Special Permits for a medical dialysis clinic to operate at the
property. That facility occupies less than % of the structure, and serves about 66 patients/day,
some of whom drive, but most come by shared ride, ambulance, or van. Pursuant to the
Decision and the associated Parking Plan the medical facility has exclusive use of 17 on-site
parking spaces, including Handicap and van spaces, and use of 22 non-exclusive (shared)
parking spaces. Therefore, of the 153 total spaces, the petitioner will have over 100 on-site
parking spaces for use of its staff, its customers and the parking of its inventory of vehicles for
sale.
The petition meets the criteria of Section 3.1.4 of the Ordinance because the beneficial
impacts to the City of the public having fair and reasonable choices in the purchase of used cars
will be served by this use, and the community's tax base increased by the full occupancy and
eventual reassessment of this large commercial property.
Pursuant to Section 9.4.2, the petition may be granted because:
a. Social, economic and community needs are served because,
with the high and ever-increasing cost of new automobiles, the public needs to purchase more
reasonably priced used cars.
b. Parking needs are met by more than 100 parking spaces on site; traffic flow onto and
of the site are more than adequate and safe as ser4ved by the existing curb cut at
the entrance and the egress from First Street, a public way. Although there will be
many used cars on the lot as applicant's inventory, the applicant's experience in the
business of selling cars indicates that only 1-3 customers will be on site at most
times.
c. Adequate utilities and public services already exist at the locus.
d. Because there will be no re-grading or alteration of the existing paved parking lot,
the natural environment and drainage will not be affected by this proposal.
e. Because there is no increase in the size or footprint of the structure, there will be no
negative affect on the neighborhood character.
f. There will be a positive affect upon the City's economy because of the new jobs that
the dealership operations will generate, and the tax base of the City improved by
the increased assessment and real estate tax payments that will be generated.