Reading, MA — This past Monday, and by a 5-0 vote, the Community Planning and Development Commission (CPDC) endorsed a minor site plan for the Burbank YMCA at 26 Arthur B. Lord Drive to convert its outdoor splash pad into an artificial lawn play area. The reorganized space will remove seven parking spaces while adding two parallel spaces for a total net loss of five.
By regulation, the facility must have eighty-eight spaces on site. Under the new configuration, the Y will still have 118 on-site parking spaces. Vertical granite curbing will be added along with retaining the wooden guard rail for the safety of the area.
The splash pad was added to the Y in 2007 but has not seen much use over the past few years, especially after the pandemic. The new space will be usable for many Y programs, including child care. Project engineer Joe White explained that the artificial turf would be using a new organic sand gel, stating that it to be an improvement over the rubberized cement impervious surface used for the splash pad.
CPDC also voted 5-0 to endorse an “approval not required” for the Y to subdivide 16,798 square feet of its property on Forest Street into a separate lot. Architect Kathleen Desmond shared that the new lot consists entirely of “upland” and is not a part of the nearby wetlands. She stated that the new lot conforms to the S-15 zoning district in which it resides and that the Y intends to sell the new lot for development.
CPDC member Tony D’Arezzo expressed concern that the new lot may be deed restricted. Desmond responded that the Y is working with the town regarding these restrictions. After the new lot is created, the Y’s lot will still be just over 199,000 square feet.
CPDC voted 5-0 to endorse an “approval not required” 811-square-foot land swap between 5 and 16 Lilah Lane. The swap will square off two oddly shaped lots. CPDC voted 5-0 to approve certificates of appropriateness for new signs at Anton’s Cleaners at 47 Harnden Street and Expressions Hair Studio at 565 Main Street.
A major site plan revision for a previously approved subdivision extending Grandview Road was continued by CPDC to June 12. Project engineer Giovanni Fodera shared the new plan for the four-lot subdivision, which removes plans by the current developer to build on lot two of the project.
Fodera explained that the new plan is to regrade the site and lower the cul-de-sac by three feet from the previous plan. A double catch basin for stormwater runoff will be placed 200 feet from the road and replaced with a single one 300 feet from the road. Fodera concluded that the developer requested a waiver for a required pipe cover. The town engineering department submitted a memo to CPDC explaining that it does not support the new drainage configuration.
CPDC member Mark Wetzel agreed with the engineering department’s assessment, questioning why the cul-de-sac needed to be lowered. “The original design is much more acceptable from a homeowner’s point of view because [under the current approved drainage plan] the land is usable,” Wetzel argued. Fodera responded that the cul-de-sac was lowered to match the level of the current roadway. Fodera also proclaimed that the new design is “arguably an acceptable design” due to runoff not going through much of the roadway.
“I disagree with your conclusions here,” Wetzel concluded.
CPDC chair Heather Clish requested that the developer provide responses or answers to each of the drainage concerns raised in the engineering memo. CPDC member John Weston also raised concerns regarding the lack of preparation for the potential future development of lot two, which would need to create its own dry well for drainage. Weston expressed additional concern regarding water flow onto an abutting property. Fodera countered that there would be no additional water flow onto the abutting property than there is currently. Weston suggested that the new water flow onto the abutting property is less desirable than current conditions due the concentrated way it will flow in the new plan.
An abutter also noted that tree clearing and site work had been done on the property without the benefit of a pre-construction meeting with the town.
CPDC continued public hearings for 45 Beacon Street and 25 Haven Street at the request of the developers. After discussion regarding a town master plan and an update on MBTA communities, CPDC adjourned at 11:00 pm.
