Adams Conservation Commission Holds Up Paving Project
 The Conservation Commission delayed approval of a paving project for Adams Plumbing & Heating at the request of the Department of Environmental Protection. |
ADAMS, Mass. — The Conservation Commission voted to hold up approval of a paving project near the riverfront at Adams Plumbing and Heating for at least a week until it receives blessings from the state Department of Environmental Protection.
Civil engineer James Scalise with SK Design Group told the Conservation Commission on Thursday that the proposed extension of paving is to accommodate a driveway serving an existing loading dock and a new parking lot.
He said the project must comply with redevelopment standards and cannot work closer to the river than where improvements already exist. The project needs to make some improvements to the riverfront, to mitigate any alterations, and to meet storm water management standards.
He said the altered area on the property would increase 15,000 to 16,000 square feet and, because of this, there would have to focus on improvements to the river front area comparable to this.
Scalise said some of these improvements could tie into the proposed rail trial extension that will run through the property. There will be a fence installed and there will be room to plant vegetation.
"We are going to put in a noninvasive vegetative strip along the riverfront boundary so that seems pretty straightforward," Scalise said. "Planting is typically qualified as an improvement so it seems to be a good fit."
He said this would be done when the Ashuwillticook Rail Trail is under construction. The extension to Lime Street is expected to begin in the spring and will run by the area under discussion.
He said because there is no degraded area onsite, similar degraded areas can be selected along the waterfront to improve. Because there is nothing onsite, the offsite work has to double.
He said the former Conservation Commission chair provided some insight about possible projects around town. Scalise said his client would provide the town with funds equivalent the effected riverfront land affected by the paving project to use for improvement projects.
"That money can sit there until a worthwhile project comes along that you want to do and now you have some resources to do it," he said.
Community Development Director Donna Cesan said there are immediate projects that the money could be used for at the Greylock Glen.
DEP representative Marc Simpson said his supervisor is currently on vacation and urged the commission to wait for his return to review the improvement project funds. He said the DEP has yet form a constant policy for applicants who build on riverfront property as redevelopment and provide communities with money for a restorative purpose.
"We are trying to outline in-house the best way to do this. We aren't saying no, we just want to make sure there is a consistent policy in terms of what should happen to the money," Simpson said.
He said the DEP wants to make sure communities spend the money on riverfront projects and do not just hold onto the money for years.
New Commissioner David Lipinski said he did not feel comfortable holding up the project while the town tries to figure out a project the money can fund.
He said the property is in an industrial park designed for this kind of use and the paving season is soon to end.
"I think it is unfair to the applicant for us to sit here and debate about what we are going to do with his money," he said. "Can we just agree that we don't have the project right now and that we can set it aside in a passbook and we can visit that topic at a later date."
Commissioner Corey Bishop agreed that he would like to expedite the project for a local business. He said he agreed with the project, the commission should wait on the DEP.
He said the commission should seek a happy medium.
"I don't want to be pressured by DEP and I don't want to pressured by anyone else," he said. "I want to make my own clear choice as a resident of this town on this commission and I want to make sure the facts are right."
Scalise agreed and said the project is too small to create policy over. He added if the DEP appeals the plan it would likely hold up the process even more.
Simpson said his job is to help commissions write orders of conditions that will stand up to appeal. It would be in everyone's best interest to reconvene next week.
The commission unanimously agreed to hold off the decision until next Thursday.
Tags: conservation commission, DEP, paving,
