Planning Board's Evening of Easy Decisions

The planning board this week considered routine topics and only broke stride when it left the decision to name a new road up to the builder and moved to allow a resident to build an addition in a wetlands area.

Before signing off an approval, the planning board gave one last review to the plans for the sub-division of five houses at 470 Salem Street, proposed by developer and property owner attorney Joseph Brodigan.

Called Stoney Ridge, the sub-division does not have a formal road name, and the fire department requested, as a routine matter, that the builder provide them with the complete road name that will be used for 911 responses.

"We need it for the 911 emergency system. The suffix to the name, road, street, avenue, or whatever you chose makes a difference to how the system recognizes the call," said Chief Thomas Bogart.

The developer also completed the easement provisions with the Peabody Electric Light Department that gives them access to an area adjacent to the sub-division in which they have a relay station.

At the fire department’s request, a new fire hydrant will be installed at the intersection of the new road and Salem Street. "We also appreciate the sprinklers," Fire Chief Bogart said.

As part of their agreement to build, the developers will install sprinkler systems in all the new homes, after the fire department raised some concerns about access to the site.

Blasting at the property will begin in about three weeks, Mr. Brodigan said. The fire department will need to know the exact date as they need to have a presence while the blasting takes place.

With all the loose ends tied up, attorney Brodigan and the planning board signed off on the approval to build.

The board continued its break neck pace as they reviewed the two requests for extension of completion dates and four review status of sub-division completion.

That done, the planning board briefly discussed culvert walls and the bond reduction requested by the Lynnfield Water District.

They discussed some concern about fencing in certain culverts, but agreed that until Town Meeting has resolved the budgetary concerns of the possible $1.5 million deficit, the board should not make any decisions about culvert repair or maintenance.

The board decided that some of the circumstances required spending money, and with budgetary issues looming as a serious concern at Town Meeting in the coming months, they would with hold any decision on how to respond to the water department’s requests.

The homeowners at 17 Townsend Road, Stephen and Lisa Connolly, requested a special permit to construct a proposed addition to their existing dwelling which is located within the wetland buffer zone district.

Their attorney, Jay Kimball, of Lynnfield cited Massachusetts case law that permits new structures, "not more detrimental" to the property and adjacent vegetated wetlands, as their argument for allowing the addition to their home.

The conservation commission has already approved the plan and the homeowners have the approved notice of intent from the commission.

"They want to build an addition to the back of their house that will house a large kitchen and two other rooms not larger than the home," explained attorney Kimball.

The board moved to allow the structure's construction.