The Halifax Conservation Commission met on Tuesday, August 13. Chair Alan Dias was joined by Co-chair Kathy Evans and member Edward Lane.
A public hearing was held for a stormwater management permit at 265 Monponsett St. The request was filed in May by JDE Civil Inc. on behalf of the applicant Thorndike Development. Thorndike Development plans to build a 3-story, 30-unit 55+ senior housing facility. The building is set to be built beside the new senior center which will be gifted to the town by Thorndike. New pickleball courts, a pool, a pool house, and associated parking garages are also included.
President and principal engineer at JDE Civil, Gregory Driscoll, gave a presentation on their plans. He said that all other necessary boards and commissions had reviewed the plans and provided comment. Pat Brennan of PGB Engineering said he reviewed the plan for both the Conservation Commission for the stormwater management and the Planning Board for the site plan review. He said that all his original comments have since been addressed by JDE Civil.
Several members of the public were concerned with the project resulting in flooding for them after efforts were already taken on their behalf to remediate existing flooding. An abutter asked if she could expect flooding after installing her own French drain and was ensured there wouldn’t be any.
Joseph Tonello, who owns 284 Monponsett St. (Shelby Plaza), asked how many bedrooms there would be in the planned building. He explained that the amount of water going into the building and subsequently returned to the draining ditches was determined not by bathrooms but bedrooms. He was told there would be 24 one-bedroom units with the rest being two bedroom.
Patricia Sullivan said that Halifax Meadows did a big water diversion project a few years ago. As a resident there she was looking for assurance that this project wouldn’t cause a problem to resurface. Driscoll said that no problems should reoccur and added that the plans were in accordance with DEP regulations and the Water Protection Act. Still another resident asked if the new project would be raising elevations. Driscoll said, “we are raising some portions of the site.”
Dias asked for an explanation of some of the basics of stormwater for the sake of the public. Driscoll explained, “a detention basin would be a basin that just holds the water; it doesn’t allow any water to recharge into the ground… an infiltration basin… is designed for water to infiltrate to the bottom and recharge the groundwater table.” Brennan added, “the main thing is that you cannot increase post development runoff off site; the other thing is that you are supposed to kind of mirror what happens today with what goes into the ground now – you basically have to put the same amount back into the ground in post development… obviously when you pave a site you’re blocking it from going into the ground so you have to put these artificial… either they’re open air basins or sub surface infiltration basins. That’s the mechanism to get that water back into the ground.”
Dias told Driscoll that he didn’t feel that the plan was complete enough to close the hearing. “In my conversations with the Health Department, there were still some issues to be resolved,” Dias said. He suggested that they continue the hearing. Following Dias saying he believed the Conservation Commission was the final town board to give approval, Amy L. Troup spoke saying that the Planning Board had not yet approved the site plan. The Conservation Commission voted to continue the hearing to August 27.
They also held a hearing for a stormwater management permit for the proposed project at 266 Monponsett St., across the street from the previous one discussed. Brennan spoke saying that while the previous project retained approximately 75,000 cubic ft. this project is retaining around 8,000 cubic ft. Dias confirmed that the Fire Chief asked for specific changes that were included in the plan.
Tonello asked what the elevations are “today” on the property “before you start filling stuff.” He was told 73 ft. “My system though is 5 ft. above the parking lot; I just had it replaced and there is no way there’s only 3 ft. from the top of my system to the existing property there right now,” Tonello said. He continued, “I stand on your property, my septic system is over my head – I’m a lot taller than 3 ft.” He noted that his system cost $180,000. Tonello added, “I’m not here to stop this, I’m here to make sure it doesn’t impact me.” Dias said that sometimes the elevations can be off a foot because the computers don’t “take a shot every 25 ft.” Dias asked Brennan if he was comfortable with the plan. Brennan said, “all proposed impervious surfaces on site will discharge to those infiltration systems.”
Dias asked Driscoll how they planned to address the number of trucks that it will take to complete the plan. Dias said that he estimated that it would take over 700 trucks to fill the site and another 300 for the development. Dias also said he had spoken to the Police Chief and there were concerns. “We can’t have half a dozen trucks backed up… that’s going to cause a major problem at that intersection,” Dias told Driscoll. He did note that the issue was likely outside the purview of the Conservation Commission.
Brennan said that they had submitted a plan from the traffic engineer that showed solar operated blinking yellow lights at the crosswalk and advanced warning signs saying that there is a crosswalk ahead. “They’ve committed to installing that infrastructure to make that a safer cross there,” Brennan said. The Commission voted to continue the hearing to August 27.
The Commission also interviewed Paul Doucette to fill an opening on the Commission. They voted unanimously to send a letter to the Selectmen informing them of their recommendation to appoint Doucette.