Last modified: Sunday, October 26, 2008 2:20 AM EDT Downtown Wrentham, above, remains vibrant despite the nearby Wrentham Village Premium Outlets, shown at top right, and other developments popping up around the Interstate 495/Route 1A interchange, bottom right. (Photos by Tom Maguire) Wrentham grows up BY STEPHEN PETERSON SUN CHRONICLE STAFF WRENTHAM - Only a couple of decades ago, this growing community was largely rolling hills and pristine farmland in the western end, a rural island in a suburban sea. But in the 1980s, the housing boom really took off, and many large parcels were transformed almost overnight into single family homes, bursting with school children and pets and surrounded by pools and manicured lawns. By the 1990s, big business finally moved into town, with the sprawling Wrentham Village Premium Outlets opening its doors in late 1997. The outlet mall, with the development of the Interstate 495/Route 1A interchange, finally put Wrentham in the spotlight, many say. No longer was Wrentham a farm community or sleepy historic town. It had moved into the modern age. And the face of Wrentham continues to change. "I would say the big change was the outlet mall and the development of the highway interchange," Town Planner Paige Duncan said. "It kind of put Wrentham on the map." Duncan has a unique perspective on the town's widespread changes, having been a part-time planner here from 1992-93 before leaving and returning in March 2006. "Wrentham was shifting 15 years ago," Duncan recalls. "It wasn't a shock. The housing market was crazy out here," in the '80s and '90s. However, that era also was the start of open space development in which homes are clustered closer together than is normally allowed, setting aside green space, she noted. "I see Wrentham going through the same suburban pressures other towns have gone through" but years later, said Duncan, who lives in much more developed neighboring Franklin. An obvious sign of the housing and mall's impact on the town is traffic. South Street (Route 1A) and area highways get clogged with motorists on weekends but especially on heavy shopping days near the holidays. But morning and afternoon commuter times make traffic congestion an everyday occurence. Once a peaceful country road, West Street (Route 121) - the gateway into the west end and even more developed northern Rhode Island - sees vehicle after vehicle whiz by throughout the day and night. Residents along South and West streets say it is not uncommon to sit in their driveways for minutes before being able to pull out. Wampum Corner, the junction of routes 121 and 1A, was reconstructed to ease the traffic flow. And the state has long-range plans to improve 1A and the highway ramp system as the corridor continues to be developed commercially near the outlet mall. The town just had another traffic study conducted on the main road. The outlet mall now numbers about 175 stores, attracting shoppers from around the world. The front parcel of the mall has been developed into several buildings housing restaurants and stores, including a Crackerbarrel, Uno Chicago Grill, Ruby Tuesday, Dunkin Donuts and Restoration Hardware. But the first spinoff development from the mall was a Mobil gas station and convenience store across from its entrance. The outlet mall and accompanying development has brought tax revenue that has helped the town pay for new municipal buildings, including the renovated town hall and new public safety complex, as well as schools. Needed improvements to roads and water service also came about with the assistance of the shopping center, points out Sue Szekely, who served on the finance committee for years. Former Selectman and planning board member Michael Carroll, now the town administrator in Seekonk, was involved in key decisions when the mall came to town. Carroll says he is surprised there hasn't been even more spinoff development from the mall. However, that is on the horizon, despite tight money in the current volatile economy. A 125-unit, four-story hotel with a function hall is now planned on land near the I-495 interchange, where plans were dropped last spring for a controversial 200-unit affordable apartment complex. The apartments would have been developed under the state's Chapter 40B law that allows for affordable housing to bypass local zoning. Wrentham has one such project near the Franklin line and another is proposed off West Street. Also, a large truck sales business is locating on South Street toward the Plainville line. Besides the Mobil site near the mall, the former KOA Campground land is eyed for retail, but as yet only some site work has been conducted there. "That is prime property and no one wants to develop it," Building Inspector Nick Tobichuck said. "I think it is the economy." There are about 3,200 homes in town today, and a buildout analysis done in recent years predicts the town could more than double in population from its current 10,720 residents in coming decades. Despite the housing and business growth, the attribute residents continuously cite as why they move here and want to continue to live in Wrentham is what is left of the rural charm, preserved by acres of green space that are protected by the town and state. The town's historic character is another draw. So, it is no surprise growth issues continue to be the hot topic of residents and town officials at almost every local meeting. Traffic was a concern for the proposed apartment complex and remains a worry for the hotel/function facility, as evidenced by a public hearing this past week before the planning board. "Traffic to me is still a big concern," planning board member Jill Fallon said. "It is hard to get off the highway on certain weekends." Board Chairman Patrick Moore counters that the "dollars in revenue this would generate certainly seem attractive." Up to nearly $500,000 is projected. An obstacle is that the site is zoned residential, and a zoning change has to go before the Nov. 10 town meeting. The zoning should change, Duncan says. "No one wants to live right next to the highway," she said. John Dudek, who has lived near the spot for a decade, and other neighbors stress the town has always opposed rezoning land from the highway interchange toward Wampum Corner, fearing commercial growth creeping toward the town center. While the town hasn't had its own pharmacy for the last several years, a national drugstore chain hopes to locate near the center, sparking the appearance of signs on lawns in opposition. A CVS is planned for land at the junction of South Street and Randall Road downtown, and partly on the site of a Mobil gasoline station that itself sparked strong resentment years ago. "A CVS pharmacy would have a great impact as far as adding to traffic problems on 1A, and it would change the character of Wrentham forever," neighbor Paul Pierce said. Drugstores have numerous times over the years inquired of the town about acquiring the municipal lot near the town common, but the local sentiment has always been that such development would destroy the quaint downtown. Also, a subdivision that dips into Norfolk and calls for almost 100 homes is making its way through the local permitting process in both towns. With the souring economy, permits for new homes have sharply dropped. Whereas the past two decades saw dozens of such permits each year, over the past fiscal year ending June 30, only five permits were issued, according to the building inspector's office. "We usually run 25 to 35" housing permits a year, said Tobichuk, the building inspector. "A lot of subdivisions are on the table. With the housing market, no one is building." A handful of housing developments numbering about 100 homes fall into that category, Tobichuk said. With more development comes the need for more costly services, such as police and fire and schools, and, consequently, a rise in property tax bills and the need for more commercial tax dollars to ease that burden. Residents fears of development persuaded them to overwhelmingly oppose plans for sewers and to stonewall extensive zoning changes a few years back. Planning board members are now beginning to propose some zoning changes, contending they are needed to guide growth in a desirable way as a master plan is intended to. For years, the Simeone family has tried to develop its property alongside and behind the outlet mall, but each proposal - ranging from an incinerator to a water park - has been strongly opposed. Finally, rather unintrusive warehouse use was proposed and that project is moving along off Green Street. Regardless of what residents wish, the town is going to be further developed. This past July, a former 28-acre apple orchard in Sheldonville in the west end was sold. The site is being considered for house lots or horse land. Along with the mall area, Route 1 is anticipated to be further developed commercially. The Plainville and Foxboro portions of the state road have been developed, with Wrentham's portion underused and vacant, just waiting to be home to the next Home Depot or Shaw's.