Chester Planning Board Reviews Bell Station Building, Oak Woods Subdivision

The Chester Planning Board addressed two development proposals at its Feb. 4 meeting, weighing a commercial project near Pond and Laroe Roads and a four-lot residential subdivision south of Camp Monroe Road. The board granted permission to proceed on three buildable lots at the Oak Woods Subdivision while a wetlands-related permit for one lot remains under federal review.

Bell Station Corp. presented a proposal for an 8,500-square-foot office building and warehouse near the intersection of Pond and Laroe Roads. A representative for the project said “all trees along Laroe Road will stay, as well as trees along the driveway.” Neighbors raised concerns about driveway and entrance width and potential traffic/back-up. The excerpts available do not record a formal planning board approval or denial for the Bell Station project at the meeting, and no additional permit requirements for that project were listed in the meeting materials provided.

Oak Woods Subdivision, LLC sought an amendment to a prior conditional approval to begin work on its four-lot project south of the intersection of Camp Monroe Road and Pickerel Road. The applicants asked to begin clearing and building on lots 1, 3 and 4 while Lot 2 remains under review because it would involve a small wetlands disturbance for a driveway and culvert. Lot 2 requires a permit from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers before construction can proceed. The Planning Board decided to grant permission to build on the three available lots while the applicant waits to hear from the Army Corps of Engineers regarding Lot 2.

Time pressure for Oak Woods was a central focus. The applicants said they “only have until the end of March to build on the site because for most of the year, it is home to a protected species and disturbing the property is prohibited.” That restriction creates a narrow window for permitted clearing and construction on the three lots, and it puts added urgency on the Army Corps review of Lot 2.

The immediate impact for Chester residents touches on two fronts: local traffic and tree preservation near Pond and Laroe Roads, and wetland protections and species habitat timing that constrain construction on Camp Monroe Road. If Lot 2 is modified or denied by the Army Corps, the developer’s overall phasing and erosion control plans may change, and the town will need to monitor compliance with seasonal protections for the species cited.

The Planning Board will reconvene on March 4, 2026. Residents concerned about traffic, tree removal, wetland impacts, or timing windows for construction should follow upcoming board minutes and agenda items to see whether Bell Station receives further action and how the Army Corps decision shapes Oak Woods’ final approvals.