Dartmouth is seeking a special exception from Hanover's Zoning Board of Adjustments in order to receive final approval for the dormitory component of the College's north campus expansion plan.
The College, which recently finished the design phase of the project, appeared before the town zoning board Feb. 26 to argue that the two dormitories planned for Maynard Street would not disturb the character of the area. Neighborhood residents, though, vocally expressed their opposition to the project because of concerns about noise and traffic.
The five-member zoning board will deliver its decision on the expansion Thursday night. To receive the "residential" zoning classification, Dartmouth must prove that the new building will not "adversely affect the character of the area, ... the highways and sidewalks ... [or] town services and facilities."
The proposed Maynard Street dormitories would provide a badly -needed addition of 343 beds to the College's on-campus dormitory capacity, said Dean of Residential Life Martin Redman.
At the Feb. 26 meeting, Bob Russell, a resident of Occom Ridge Road, spoke in favor of the construction. Most other residents, though, expressed concerns about the additional traffic and noise that a dormitory would bring to the area.
One resident even brought his lawyer, Jed Callen, of Baldwin, Callen, and Hogan law firm, to the meeting.
Some residents were concerned that the College's traffic predictions may be too low, said Heidi Eldred of 37 Rope Ferry Road. Eldred also noted that some the recreational areas of Occom Pond and Pine Park would be disturbed by the intrusion of the dormitories.
"The neighborhood in general is concerned about preserving the character of the neighborhood," Eldred said.
Other residents were worried that the additional pedestrian traffic would make Maynard Street impassable for cars and that the late schedule of college life wouldn't mesh with the schedules of local residents.
Opponents of the College's northward expansion formed the Hanover Neighborhood Alliance in the spring of 2002. The group has since proposed three zoning amendments to decrease the effects of expansion.
After the board's Thursday night ruling, either side will be free to make an appeal to the board. If the appeal is denied, they are then able to take the matter to court.
The College will also have to go through the Hanover Planning Board as well as seek a final building permit from Hanover's building inspector. In all, the approval process could take up to three years to settle.
The dormitories are part of a larger movement by the College to develop the northern segment of campus. The plan includes the demolition of Gerry and Bradley halls, known among students as the "shower towers." They would be replaced by the math department building, Kemeny Hall, which will roughly stand where Gerry and Bradley now stand.
The renovation also includes a new dining hall and social facilities, as laid out in development plans in March of 2003.
However, when astronomically high construction estimates came back from consultants, the project was pushed aside in favor of the new dormitories.
The final piece of the north campus project is the expansion of Sudikoff Laboratory, Dartmouth's computer science building.
In recent years, the building's classrooms have been replaced with labs, leaving only one classroom left in the building, according to Scott Drysdale, the chair of the computer science department.
