HOLYOKE - The Holyoke Planning Board’s public hearing on a proposal for the development of a Dunkin’ and Delaney’s Market on the property of the Log Cabin will continue on Jan. 26.

A revised site plan proposal calls for a “hybrid” 2,500-square-foot building that would include a Dunkin’ drive-thru and a Delaney’s Market in front of the Log Cabin at 500 Easthampton Rd., Rob Levesque of R Levesque Associates explained at the board’s Jan. 12 meeting. Both establishments would occupy the same structure in the location of the existing Mt. Joe to Go drive-thru. As well as seeking approval of the site plan, the applicants are in need of four special permits from the Planning Board related to shared parking, multiple principal structures, signage and fencing.

In addition to the hearing, which was continued to Jan. 26 in part because some of the information was not made available to the board until shortly before the Jan. 12 meeting, board Secretary Mimi Panitch also suggested a site visit should be conducted as part of their review.

Levesque told the board that his firm, along with Peter Rosskothen, owner of the Log Cabin, Delaney House, Delaney’s Market and D. Hotel and Suites, had been working with Salmar Realty’s Peter Martins for some time on the plans. Rosskothen launched Delaney’s Market, a brick-and-mortar retail chain specializing in ready-to-heat take-home meals, in 2016 with its first store located in Longmeadow. With initial success, additional locations were established in downtown Springfield, Westfield and Wilbraham, though the Springfield site has since closed.

“Mr. Martins and Mr. Rosskothen thought it would make a lot of sense, because of the symbiotic relationship between the two uses – one being a coffee/fast-casual restaurant and the other being a takeout use … When Dunkin’s busy [Delaney’s Market] are not and vice versa,” Levesque said, adding events at the Log Cabin would also not normally impact or be impacted by the operations of the proposed businesses. “Generally speaking, the uses all kind of blend together nicely.”

The Dunkin’ would offer primarily drive-thru service with two 10-foot one-way lanes while Delaney’s Market’s model would feature walk-in retail with no drive-thru available. Pedestrian access would be built to connect the lower parking lot to the upper lot adjacent to the Log Cabin building, as well as a crosswalk in the area of the drive-thru, and a small patio. Thirteen total parking spaces were proposed including six in front of the building as well as three employee spaces.

Addressing traffic, Levesque said when formulating traffic data, his team utilized Dunkin sites that illustrate similar estimated usage during peak hours, specifically the recently opened Dunkin’ at Hampden and Pleasant streets in Holyoke, and two locations in Westfield on Southampton and North roads, respectively. He explained Delaney’s Market’s model does not lend itself to significant traffic queueing.

“The available stacking is anywhere from five to seven cars, which is well within what we’ve found we’re going to need,” he said.

The building itself, Levesque said, would look different than a typical Dunkin’ with a more “muted color scheme” and “modest” signage in order to remain consistent with the look of the Log Cabin.

Board member Kate Kruckemeyer voiced concerns regarding traffic, stating in spite of what data on the store at Hampden and Pleasant streets might say, she has seen excess queueing and asked for potential alternatives to combat similar issues on the busy Route 141 roadway. “I’m intensely concerned about what that does on the top of the mountain where there’s not much room for error there,” she said.

Levesque said City Engineer Robert Peirent was also reviewing the traffic proposal and data and acknowledged there could be changes.

Issues of conservation were also brought up by Panitch, to which Levesque noted they were working with the Conservation Commission and had received a letter of approval from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services Endangered Species Program. He said they were also working on a conservation management permit for the property as well.

During a recent conversation with the Easthampton Planning Board on this project, Panitch noted that in addition to the Planning Board process, the Holyoke City Council would have to approve a special permit for the drive-thru. A separate set of hearings will take place on that portion of the project with the first hearing taking place before the City Council’s Committee on Development and Governmental Relations on Jan. 25.