By MARK SARDELLA
WAKEFIELD — A controversial 40B project proposed for 119 Nahant St. has been reduced from 100 units to 80 units and the developer has made some other changes to the site plan in an effort to gain approval from the Zoning Boar of Appeals.
The applicant’s attorney was not at this week’s ZBA meeting, having asked the board to continue the hearing to its November meeting.
But Board of Appeals chairman Thomas Lucey reported that attorney Jason Panos had met with a ZBA subcommittee last week and represented his client’s willingness to reduce the size of the proposed project to 80 units. Lucey reported to the full board that the height of the building had also been reduced from five stories to four and the footprint of the building had been moved back 70 feet from the street. Other adjustments were also made to the site plan, Lucey reported.
Lucey added that at last week’s subcommittee meeting, he and ZBA member Chip Tarbell had suggested further reductions to the size and density of the project as well as other changes.
“We’re hoping that when they come back there will be further reductions,” Tarbell said.
The project has been in hearings before the ZBA for about a year and has drawn intense opposition from neighbors who see it as too large for the neighborhood. Neighbors as well as the Traffic Advisory Committee have expressed traffic and safety concerns related to the project.
The next hearing of the project is expected to take place on Nov. 20.
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Another 40B project proposed for 32 Nahant St. was discussed at this week’s ZBA meeting.
Developer Scott Green had originally proposed a 32-unit 40B for that site, but over the course of a year’s with of hearings, the proposal has been reduced to 22 units.
The ZBA had asked for more green space on the site, and board member Chip Tarbell has worked with the development team on that issue.
At this week’s meeting, architect Andrew Jones reported that by reducing parking they were able to find room for an outdoor patio area with amenities like a fire pit and a grilling area for residents. There is still more than the required number of parking spaces, Jones reported.
Green also proposed flipping the site plan, so the the driveway is on the east side of the building rather than the west. This would move the driveway that much further from the intersection of Nahant and Main streets, he said.
He said that the idea had been run by Traffic Advisory Committee chairman Police Lt. Joseph Anderson, who was receptive to the idea.
Board members indicated the they liked the addition of the outdoor amenities and flipping the location of the driveway, but wanted to hear from the TAC, which had previously expressed traffic and safety concerns about the project.
When the hearing was opened to the public, Paula Gardella of Wilson Road said that she still thought the project was too big.
Direct abutter Kyla MacKay-Smith said that she liked the added green space and flipping the driveway to the opposite site of the building.
Victoria Turner of Wilson Road observed that the project would still be adding a lot of traffic to a narrow and dangerous street.
Wanjun Ye of Nahant Street said that she was also concerned with adding more cars to the neighborhood.
Ellen Cummings of Nahant Street said that the project was still too large for the narrow and congested road, especially in combination with 119 Nahant St.
At the end of the hearing, Green agreed to extend the boards deadline to render a decision to Dec. 31, in order to allow for TAC input on the latest changes to the plans.
The hearing was continued to Nov. 20.