Pittsfield Walmart Plans Online Order Pickup Area
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Walmart plans to enclose part of its garden center for an online grocery pickup area.
On Thursday, the Conservation Commission OK'd the project to convert about 1,550 square feet of the outdoor garden center on the left side of the building. The total disturbance area is approximately 7,000 square feet and is confined to a few feet around the building and the drive aisle directly adjacent.
The expansion will facilitate the corporation's online ordering operations. This type of shopping became popular and necessary during the COVID-19 pandemic.
"It's very low impact,” said Greg DiBona of Bohler Engineering, the firm working on behalf of Walmart.
"I mean, there's no change to drainage, no change in impervious coverage. The area was already fully paved and developed as part of the garden center. It's basically like putting a roofed area on top of that portion of the garden center.”
The ConCom issued a negative determination for the project's request for determination of applicability, meaning it will not have a negative impact on the protected wetland areas.
Based on the materials provided, there was some uncertainty about the project's setback from protected areas.
The application states that activities are proposed to occur within the buffer zone of land underwater bodies and waterways, and bordering land subject to flooding associated with Barton Brook.
DiBona reported that the flood zone is about 175 feet from the work area.
"The garden center itself was already basically part of that building footprint. This area is outside of the flood hazard impact zone, so it's at a higher elevation. It doesn't impact the flood hazard area,” he said.
"... Most of the garden center stays. I think the garden center is roughly about 10,000 square feet. So the garden center is going to now just be reduced to about 8500 square feet.”
Commissioners issued the negative determination, conditional on a site visit with the city's conservation agent when erosion controls are installed, and that Walmart will submit missing architectural and building plans.
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