Marty’s Driving Range owner Nicole Ruggiero lays out plans for improvements to the business. (STAFF PHOTO BY ASHLEY SAARI)
Marty’s Driving Range in Mason is looking to update its facilities by adding additional outdoor seating for its concert venue, building a permanent snack shack and adding a bathroom to replace portable toilets for guests.
Nicole Ruggiero, owner of the range, appeared before the Mason Planning Board Wednesday to present her plan for the updates, which she said would be built in phases. The snack shack is her immediate concern, and the toilet house would be built in some future year.
Ruggiero explained that the seating would be in a shipping container-style, consistent with two other seating areas already on the property, and that the merchandise shack would replace a tent where snacks are currently sold.
Ruggiero objected, saying that in conversations with board planning consultant Cassie Cashin, Cashin indicated a stamped plan wasn’t required until the final approval phase. She said she had held off on finalizing the plan until she heard board feedback, and was hoping for an approval with the condition of getting the plans stamped.
“It’s not a concept,” Ruggiero said of the plan. “I put a location, and sizes, and would like to get started on Phase I, like, tomorrow.” She added that Phase I included at least the merchandise shack, and noted that she is hoping to have it up as soon as possible.
“Time is money, I’m only open for five months,” Ruggiero said of the summer-based business. “This shouldn’t be a big discussion – you’re acting like it’s a new business.”The board reviewed the checklist of completion, and noted some items that they considered unfulfilled, including showing that there was sufficient area for a septic system for the proposed toilets, and additional information on the lighting for the toilets to show it was sufficient for safety, but wouldn’t impede on the neighbors.
The board has received feedback on the plan from the police and highway departments, and both offered no objection to the changes. The police indicated that the toilets should have sufficient lighting, which Ruggiero indicated there would be.
The Fire Department did not respond to a request for comment, but Select Board ex-officio Charlie Moser indicated he’d like to see comments from the fire chief, specifically related to the seating areas and their safety from a fire-evacuation standpoint.
Ruggiero said that the seating would be identical to what is already on the property.
“And maybe it’s fine,” Moser said. “I just don’t know.”
Ruggiero asked if removing the toilets from the proposal would allow for an approval that night, but the board indicated that they were not prepared to do so without the final plans.
“I’d have to see an engineered plan before I’d be willing to approve it,” said Moser. He said that in concept, “it’s not a particularly objectionable plan,” but that he wasn’t willing to approve it without seeing finalized plans.
The board did vote on whether to accept the plans as sufficiently complete to start the public hearing on the plan, but the majority of the board found that it was not, and agreed to continue the hearing to a future meeting.
Ruggiero requested a meeting sooner than the board’s regularly scheduled monthly session, and the board agreed to continue the hearing until May 14 at 7 p.m. at Mason Elementary School.
Ashley Saari can be reached at 603-924-7172, Ext. 244, or asaari@ledgertranscript.com. She’s on X @AshleySaariMLT.