By MARK SARDELLA
WAKEFIELD — One year after opening the public hearing, the Zoning Board of Appeals appears to be closing in on a decision on Cabot Cabot & Forbes’ proposal to build 485 units of multi-family housing in three buildings at 200-400 Quannapowitt Parkway.
Board members indicated at their meeting this week that they expect to render a decision at one of their meetings in May.
Cabot Cabot & Forbes is seeking Special Permits and other relief to allow multifamily mid-rise and garden apartment buildings containing 485 residential units mixed and combined with a restaurant use on the site that was once home to American Mutual Insurance and later Comverse Technologies.
Over the course of a year’s worth of hearings, the ZBA has reviewed various aspects of CC&F’s proposal, including economic, traffic and environmental impacts as well as the project’s anticipated impact on schools and other municipal services.
At this week’s meeting, the ZBA reviewed changes to the Route 128-facing side of the building closest to the highway. Board members did not like the look of that side of the building, opining that it looked more like an office building than a residential building. At a previous meeting, the ZBA assigned member Jim McBain, a retired architect, to work with the project design team on ways to make that side of the building more palatable to the board. The full board reviewed the changes that came out of those discussions at this week’s meeting.
Balconies and other design elements were added to the highway-facing side of the building to give it a more residential look. McBain told the board that he was happy with the changes.
Also reviewed at this week’s meeting was a Land Preservation Plan, which details Cabot Cabot & Forbes’ intention to preserve in perpetuity for public use 9.33 acres of the site, including wetlands.
CC&F’s local attorney Brian McGrail told the board that his client would also like to maintain at its own expanse the adjacent town-owned land for public use in conjunction with their own property.
He also introduced an Invasive Species Plan to remove invasive species from along the shore of the Lake that are harming natural growth.
In addition, McGrail reviewed a list of unique and detailed conditions for the project that involve contributions to the town from CC&F for environmental and traffic improvements, $1.75 million in improvements along Quannapowitt Parkway, $600,00 for future traffic mitigation and $1.3 million for measures along Main Street to treat stormwater entering the Lake.
Also reviewed was a commitment to provide a Wakefield Police substation on the site, public restrooms available during daylight hours, shuttle bus service between the site and the Wakefield commuter rail station and 99 parking spaces for public and visitor parking at that end of the Lake.
ZBA member Chip Tarbell asked for a phasing plan detailing a timetable for various elements of construction, from demolition to construction and occupancy. He also asked for a pre-construction meeting with CC&F and key town officials, especially public safety departments.
During public testimony at this week’s hearing, the board heard from Dennis Cloherty of 1 Harvest Road, who was worried that the proposed project could result in water draining toward his property.
CC&F’s Matt D’Amico maintained that the project would actually improve water storage on the site.
The ZBA continued the hearing to its May 11 meeting.
