By MARK SARDELLA
WAKEFIELD — The Zoning Board of Appeals is expected to render a decision at its Feb. 8 meeting on the planned 40B affordable housing project at 596 North Ave. The 36-unit residential dwelling would be located at 596 North Ave., just north of the Knights of Columbus building.
At recent meetings, the board and the developer’s representatives hashed out some of the final revisions to the project plans, including landscaping and civil engineering aspects. The developers are Dana Lopez and Ray Nickerson, who are represented by attorney Jesse Schomer of the law firm Regnante Sterio LLP.
Schomer told the ZBA that since the last hearing he has been working on a draft decision and a list of waivers for the board’s review. He said that he has been getting feedback from Ezra Glenn, the town’s affordable housing consultant. He also said that he has been in contact with Conservation Agent Rebecca Davis.
ZBA chairman David Hatfield and Schomer agreed that the outstanding issues were minor, and a Zoom call with Town Counsel Thomas Mullen would be in order.
Board member Greg McIntosh concurred that the sides were just confirming a few things related to the waivers and conditions.
The site of the proposed 40B was the subject of a Town Meeting article three years ago. Article 22 on the 2020 Annual Town Meeting was sponsored by the property owners as well as a citizens petition. The article aimed to change the parcel of land on North Avenue near the Knights of Columbus building from Single Residence to General Residence zoning in order to build three proposed two-family homes.
Owners Dana Lopez and Raymond Nickerson, originally considered a 40B affordable housing project, but ultimately decided that the best use for the five-acre parcel would be three two-family homes. They agreed to donate a four-acre piece of land in the rear to the Conservation Commission. They also agreed to build a sidewalk along North Avenue in front of the property at their own expense.
The plan would have required changing the site zoning from Single Residence to General Residence at Town Meeting. The Planning Board had voted unanimously to approve the plan.
But several residents at the 2020 Town Meeting spoke against the article and “overdevelopment” in general. Ultimately, the vote was 63 in favor and 46 opposed, so the article failed to get the required two-thirds majority for the zoning change.
Last summer, the developers returned with a proposal to build the 36-unit, 40B affordable housing project currently before the ZBA.
The board continued the hearing to its Feb 8 meeting, when a decision is expected.
——
At last week’s meeting, the ZBA granted a request for minor modifications that will allow VCA Wakefield Animal Hospital at 60 Audubon Road to change its monument sign and its wall sign on the front of the building to reflect updated branding by the veterinary hospital chain.
The requested changes were presented by Ed Batten of Batten Brothers Signs, Inc. A decision on a third sign for the rear of the building was deferred as it was unclear if an earlier variance on that signage had expired or not.
