Plans to build a dance studio off State Road drew opposition from most of the neighbors at last week’s Planning Board meeting.

Traffic, noise, loss of privacy, but most of all using narrow, dead-end Pleasant Street for an access road were among concerns voiced regarding the plan presented by Lisa and Paul Chace.

The plan was ultimately continued until July 16 to give time for the applicants to see if the state Department of Transportation will allow the studio to put its driveway onto State Road (Rt. 6) instead of Pleasant Street.

The applicants want to build a 6,000 square foot studio building at 699 State Road on a deep lot zoned for business that already holds one business that fronts on Route 6.

Engineer Sean Leach, speaking for the applicants, said screening (mostly cyprus hedging) would be planted between the studio, and neighbors. Drainage off the lot would be reduced by 17 to 30 percent, he said, mostly by a system of berms, swales and retention pond designed to first hold water and then, in a major storm, send reduced overflow down to Pleasant Street and from there to a catch basin at Route 6.

The lot is zoned for business, he said, and this would be a nice, low impact use.

Audience members thought otherwise.

Carol Novo of East Briggs Road said she is unhappy to see that parking for the studio would be up against her back yard.

“I will have to deal with afternoon and evening cars, noise from people coming and going, constantly from after school to 8 or 9 at night … That’s the time we sit outside, enjoy the fresh air, put food on the grill, actually enjoy the property. I really feel this is an invasion of our privacy.”

Seth Lingley of Pleasant Street said he had been asked to speak for all residents of Pleasant Street about several common and “large” concerns.

Chief among these, he said, is use of Pleasant Street for access.

That dead end road, he said “is only 16 feet wide.” Children walk along it and when a truck comes along, cars can’t get by without pulling onto the grass.

He said he and his neighbors worry about noise, lighting, a lighted sign at the end of the driveway, and drainage.

Why not put the access driveway onto State Road instead, he asked.

Because the state probably wouldn’t allow it, Mr. Leach replied. It can be difficult to get the state to agree to more curb cuts onto that busy road, he said, and this one would have issues due to the necessary turning radius.

Bob Benetti said the house he has lived in for nearly 40 years sits across Pleasant Street from where the proposed studio driveway would sit.

When everybody leaves, at all hours, their headlights will shine into his house, he said. And it’s not just during dance classes.

“We’ve had girls in dance classes and we know what recitals are.” Parents, grandparents, friends — “You’ve got ten people for one dancer. So where are all these cars going to be — in the the parking lot that only holds only 18 or 19 cars? I don’t think so. They are going to be all over the neighborhood.”

When the neighbors had spoken, board Chairman James Whitin told them that, because the property is zoned for business, a dance studio, or other business is allowed there.

“There’s not much we can do about that besides trying to mitigate in any way possible to make it less of a problem for residents.”

We can ask for screening, he said, and “we can ask the applicant to talk to the state to see if they can access (via) Route 6.” There is a curb cut onto the property from Route 6 already and that could be improved to handle traffic to and from the dance studio.

“I agree,” Mr. Leach replied, “but I’m not sure about the state.”

“It depends on how you ask,” Mr. Whitin said. “I would like you to sell it to them.”

The board agreed to support Mr. Leach’s request to the state with a letter expressing the board’s belief that entry from Route 6 is better and safer than using narrow Pleasant Street.