Published in the November 6, 2015 edition.
By MARK SARDELLA
WAKEFIELD — Plans for a 24-unit, garden-style apartment building on North Avenue were unveiled at a hearing before the Conservation Commission last night. The three-story building would be located at 598 and 602 North Ave., directly across the street from the Lakeside Office Park.
Michael Juliano of Eaglebrook Engineering and Survey described the existing conditions at the proposed location, where there are two single-family homes. The properties are owned by Jonathan D. Main and John J. DiPoala Jr., who are seeking approval to build the project. The proposed new building would cover an area of 170 x 65 feet.
Juliano said that the applicants originally planned to request a waiver of the 25-foot buffer zone to the wetland resource area in the rear of the property, reducing it to 15 feet. But he said that his clients would instead propose to maintain the 25-foot buffer by reducing the original size of the building (from front to back) from 70 feet to 65 feet. In addition, the applicant will ask the Zoning Board of Appeals for a 5-foot variance of the front setback.
The project is scheduled for a hearing before the ZBA on Nov. 18.
Juliano discussed plans for dealing with and treating roof and surface runoff on the project site. He said that roof runoff would go directly into an underground infiltration system. There would also be systems installed under the paved parking area to collect surface runoff. He said that he had spoken to Town Engineer Michael Collins and had incorporated Collins’ suggestions into the drainage plans.
Juliano described a retaining wall that would be built around the site because the site would first be built up with fill. A four-foot fence of an unspecified type will sit on top of the wall.
Juliano described three areas of riprap behind a rear retaining wall to minimize erosion from the discharge of the treated runoff.
ConCom members wanted to know about plans for snow storage. Juliano acknowledged that the site had very limited room to store plowed snow. He said that in the case of larger storms, the snow would be trucked off site.
In response to another question from the commission, Juliano said that the outside lighting would all be directed down and won’t spill outside of the site.
Commissioners and Conservation Agent Elaine Vreeland discussed the possibility of additional tree plantings on the property.
Juliano asked the ConCom to keep the hearing open pending the project’s hearing before the Board of Appeals on Nov. 18, in case changes need to be made based on feedback from the ZBA.
About a dozen residents attended the hearing but none commented on the proposal.
The Conservation Commission continued the hearing to its Nov. 19 meeting.
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The ConCom issued a negative Determination of Applicability with respect to planned work to expand one of the bays at Flo’s Auto Bath on Water Street.
John Ogren of Hayes Engineering explained that the owner of the car wash wanted to install some new equipment and it would require one of the bays to be several feet longer.
The ConCom agreed that the work would not have any impact on the nearby resource area.
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The commission approved Michael DiPlatzi’s plans for the regrading of a portion of his rear yard. Neighbor Marie Oliveira expressed her concern about a large tree on the lot line but ConCom members did not think that the proposed work would harm the tree.
