By MARK SARDELLA
WAKEFIELD — Contingent on soil testing and Conservation Commission approval, the Town Council this week approved a request by the owners of 200 Quannapowitt Parkway to do some grading on town-owned land between the site of the housing development currently under construction and Lake Quannapowitt.
Attorney Brian McGrail represented 200 Quannapowitt Owner, LLC, the owner of property under development. He reminded the Town Council that in 2022, the Zoning Board of Appeals had granted his client a Special Permit for the development of a 440-unit residential project, which will also include a 3,500 square foot restaurant space.
McGrail said that his client is now ready to begin the final grading and landscape work and has determined that it would be beneficial to extend the grading of the private property onto adjacent town-owned land. This approach, he explained, would allow for a smoother elevation transition at the property line and promote topographic continuity between the parcels, enhancing pedestrian access and overall site integration.
Accordingly, McGrail was seeking Town Council authorization to perform the grading activities on the town-owned land, and displayed plans showing where the work would be done.
McGrail noted that, as a condition of the Special Permit, the privately owned area facing the Lake will be accessible by the public and will feature a number of amenities for public use. Allowing the owner of that property to continue the grading onto the adjacent town-owned parcel will result in a gentler slope between the development and the Lake, he said.
McGrail noted that soil saved from the site excavation will be used as fill for the grading. He said that Town Engineer William Renault was okay with the plan from an engineering perspective, as long as the soil being used as fill is tested first for any contaminants.
The work would be done under Renault’s supervision and Conservation Commission approval will also be needed, McGrail explained.
After a brief discussion, the Town Council approved the grading plan subject to soil-testing and Conservation Commission approval.