WOBURN - A long night for the Planning Board at its recent regular meeting was made a little shorter by the continuances of several matters, including the request from College Street Partners, seeking to construct a 300-vehicle parking facility off Montvale Avenue.

The Planning Board, without discussion, voted to continue the matter until is Aug. 5 meeting as work continues on a peer review of the applicant's traffic figures.

The applicant is seeking to construct a satellite parking facility for Winchester Hospital at 23 Mack Road, also known as 23 Rainin Road, off Montvale Avenue behind the Spud's Restaurant in East Woburn at the intersection with Route 93.

The applicants are specifically seeking a special permit from the City Council for the 300 spaces as well as:

- A reduction in the parking for office, warehouse and distribution use;

- The parking of commercial motor vehicles and shuttle buses;

- and the continuation of the existing warehouse and distribution use within a flood plain district.

College Street Partners had submitted a request for a larger facility, but then withdrew the plans before any significant discussion was held on the request.

Also within the past year, Winchester Hospital sought to double the size of its satellite lot off Holton Street in the area of Green Street at the Winchester line, but was denied by the Planning Board due to traffic concerns.

According to Planning Board Director Edmund Tarallo, a peer review of the applicant's traffic counts has been completed but only recently returned to the applicants for their review.

Winchester Hospital had used its lot at 620 Washington St. for some satellite parking, but during its conversion to a full-scale, outpatient facility, parking for patients, workers, nurses and doctors has been at a premium.

Cirone Estates

A request from Cirone Estates for a 4-lot subdivision off Poole Street in North Woburn hit an unexpected snag when the person conducting the peer review of test pits in the area left the firm hired to do the work, Hancock Associates.

The matter was eventually continued to the board's Aug. 5 meeting with the applicant agreeing to extension through Aug. 29 to allow the board time to make a decision on the request.

After some wetlands delineations were contested by area residents, the applicant agreed to have a peer review done to confirm the findings.

However, drought conditions last fall stalled the peer review.

Tarallo at the recent meeting announced the news that the person assigned the peer review project recently left the firm. "The matter has been turned over to another engineer. The notes taken at the site during the tests pits have been turned over to the new engineer and I hope to have the report for our next meeting," Tarallo noted.

Tarallo noted the announcement was made "with chagrin," while the applicant's attorney, Mark Salvati, noted the developer's frustration with how long the process has taken.

"It's very unusual," Tarallo noted.

Lowe's rentals

A request from Lowe's Companies, 15 Commerce Way, to allow for the rental of moving trucks, as well as associated accessory parking and storage of the vehicles, was continued to the board's Aug. 5 meeting

Tarallo noted an on-going effort involving Lowe's and the city to resolve pending litigation associated with the property and a previous request to modify the original special permit.

"The petitioner's attorney believes that the settlement agreement will have a bearing on this case and may resolve all outstanding issues," Tarallo noted.

Mascoma Corporation

A special permit request from the Mascoma Corporation to allow for a research and testing facility at 20-30 Commerce Way was withdrawn at the request of the applicant.

Without discussion the board voted that the matter be placed on file.

The applicants will have to make the formal request to withdraw the special permit application to the City Council.