ROCHESTER — Last week the Select Board signed off on Mark Briggs’ plans to construct two barns on 10 acres near Rochester Center to house and restore collectible vehicles.

Despite neighbors’ skepticism, the board granted Briggs Hobby Barn a used car dealer’s license with the stipulation that Briggs sells no more than two cars in a calendar year out of the 618 New Bedford Road location. 

He will also be prohibited from storing vehicles and materials outside, posting “for sale” signs along the road, operating outside the hours of 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., and from displaying cars for sale in front of the property.

“There’s nothing on the roadside other than a mailbox,” Select Board Chair Adam Murphy said.

Potential customers will also be required to make appointments before showing up on the property to look at Briggs’ vehicles.

Over the course of two years, Briggs, who lives in Marion, has obtained special permits from the Zoning Board of Appeals, Planning Board, the Historic District Commission and other regulatory boards.

“It’s my understanding that all of the boards have made their special requirements and approvals for this special license and the special permit from the Zoning Board of Appeals has been approved with specific guidelines or specifications,” Town Administrator Cameron Durant said.

Briggs needed approval for the dealer’s license from the Select Board so he can purchase classic cars in auctions, obtain dealer plates and store more than three unlicensed vehicles on the property, which is zoned for Limited Commercial use.

The license will be issued on an annual basis and would not be renewed if Briggs violates the terms of the license, Murphy said.

At the July 7 meeting, several residents questioned the board’s decision to issue  the hobby barn and dealers license.

Resident Matt Monteiro, who lives on New Bedford Road, said he was concerned about a business “popping up next to my house” — believing the land was zoned to prevent commercial use.

According to Murphy, Briggs Hobby Barn isn’t considered a business because the primary purpose of the dealers license is to allow Briggs to buy and sell cars, not establish a dealership.

Another resident said she was concerned with how much noise constructing cars would bring to New Bedford Road.

According to Briggs, the majority of noise will come from building the two structures, which he said would ideally be wrapped up in August.

“If everything stays on time then we’ll apply for a certificate of occupancy in that time and all the trucks go away,” he said.

Briggs also explained that most of the work he will do on the property will be repairs rather than constructing vehicles.

As an example, he noted that rebuilding a vehicle’s brakes wouldn’t generate a lot of noise, especially since the work would be done inside one of the buildings.

“We can restore the cars safely inside a controlled environment,” he said.