The Planning Board has granted waivers for a traffic impact study and an environmental impact study for Tabor Academy.

Tabor is looking to build a new dorm on Spring Street on the field across from the Fire Station. It would house 24 students and the footprint of the proposed building is 7,110 square feet.

Susan Nilson of CLE Engineering presented the plan to the Planning Board in a pre-submission conference on April 18, but the board wasn’t comfortable voting on waivers just yet because of the impending change in personnel due to the upcoming election.

However, Chair Rob Lane said after speaking with Town Counsel, the current board granting waivers for the project would cause no issue for the new board.

Board member Eileen Marum expressed concerns about the loading and unloading area for students moving in and out, if there would be enough room for a fire truck to access the building and making sure students on foot in that area would be safe.

Nilson said Tabor had thought about many of those things, including loading and unloading, and said there have been meetings with Fire Chief Brian Jackvony about making sure the building is accessible for trucks. However, she thinks as the traffic study only looks at street traffic, none of those things are applicable to eligibility for a waiver.

Lane agreed, and said that those types of issues can be taken care of during the site plan review.