Published August 19, 2020
By MARK SARDELLA
WAKEFIELD — The Zoning Board of Appeals last week got its first in-depth look at a proposal to build a four-story apartment building with 19 units at 581-583 Salem St., near the Lynnfield line. The applicant had been before the board a couple of months ago for a pre-application meeting. Based on feedback from that meeting, the proposal was significantly modified when presented at last week’s first official hearing on the project.
Representing the applicant, Granitz Family Trust LLC, attorney Brian McGrail noted that in compliance with the town’s inclusionary zoning bylaw, the proposed project would feature three affordable units.
McGrail asked John Ogren from Hayes Engineering to talk about the existing site and the proposed project.
Ogren noted that the project would involve combining two exiting parcels for a combined area of 24,638 square feet. The former Crossfit 128 gym sits on one of the parcels. That building, along with a two-family home on the other parcel just to the east would be demolished to make way for the new building.
To the west of the proposed site is a WMGLD storage yard. Route 128 is to the north. The proposed site is mostly in the business zone, with a small triangle in the rear that is in the Single-Family residential zone.
Ogren said that the proposed building would be four stories with 19 rental apartments. Three of the apartments would be one-bedroom units. Sixteen would have two bedrooms. The 29 proposed parking spaces, mostly in the rear, would meet the bylaw requirement of 1.5 spaces per unit.
The site is now mostly pavement, Ogren said, but 29 percent (about 7,000 square feet) of that will be removed and replaced by landscaping, improving recharge and runoff on the site. Landscaping will be enhanced all around the proposed building, especially on the Salem Street side.
A lighting plan was also submitted at last week’s hearing.
Ogren noted that there is an existing sewer line on the site, which will have to be re-routed around the proposed building.
A traffic assessment has been done, Ogren said, which showed a significant reduction in average daily vehicle trips as well as fewer peak time trips.
ZBA member Chip Tarbell asked about installing a public sidewalk in front of the building. He said that with increased housing coming to Wakefield it was a good opportunity to think long range about the future needs of pedestrians for sidewalks.
McGrail said that he and his team would discuss the matter of a new sidewalk with the DPW.
Board member Greg McIntosh asked about the utility poles in front of the building, noting that upper floor residents would be looking out at wires. He asked about the possibility of putting utilities underground. McGrail cited the high cost of placing utility wires underground, but agreed to talk to the Light Department about it.
ZBA member Tom Lucey questioned whether 29 parking spaces would really be adequate for residents and visitors. McGrail said that in his experience, when a project meets the bylaw requirements for parking, there haven’t been any issues.
McGrail asked architect Andrew Zalewski to give an overview of the building design.
Zalewski displayed a number of renderings which showed a brick bottom story and the upper stories in a light-colored fiber cement siding. He maintained that the proposed building would “fit very well in the neighborhood.”
ZBA member Jim McBain agreed, saying that he liked the light and airy look and the way the different materials break things up.
Zalewski described a first-floor trash room as well as a fitness center on the ground level. Heating, cooling and stoves will all be electric, Zalewski said. There will be no gas utilities.
The building elevation will be 49.1 feet, which complies with the bylaw. Lucey asked to see a comparison of building heights in the neighborhood.
McGrail said that the traffic study will be presented to the Traffic Advisory Committee at the first opportunity. He also said that he would talk to the Fire Department about the requirement for a fire hydrant within 100 feet on the same side of the street.
When the meeting was opened to public testimony, Bronwyn Della-Volpe of Cyrus Street asked about building-height and parking. McGrail reiterated that the project meets the bylaw requirements in both respects.
Della-Volpe also asked about lighting and light pollution from the site. McGrail said that the lighting design would eliminate light spillage from the site.
The ZBA agreed that at its next meeting it would delve deeper into architecture, landscaping and the civil engineering aspects of the project.
The hearing was continued to the board’s Sept. 9 meeting.