By MARK SARDELLA
WAKEFIELD — The Zoning Board of Appeals will sponsor an article at Town Meeting related to several of the conditions attached to the Special Permit for the new development at 200-400 Quannapowitt Parkway at the head of the Lake.
The article for the May 5 Annual Town Meeting will seek Town Meeting approval of several matters addressed in the conditions that the ZBA approved along with the Special Permit for the project. As expected, the board voted last week to sponsor the article.
One condition that will be covered in the article is the requirement that the developer provide 12.7 acres of land in perpetuity for conservation purposes.
The article will also affirm that the developer must construct and maintain a recreational pathway and footbridge along with an agreement guaranteeing public access.
In addition, the article seeks Town Meeting approval of an agreement that calls for the developer, Cabot Cabot & Forbes, to provide space on the premises for a Wakefield Police Department satellite office at no cost to the town.
The ZBA voted unanimously last week to sponsor the article and authorized board chairman Thomas Lucey to work with Town Counsel Thomas Mullen to draft the article.
The ZBA also addressed a couple of matters unrelated to the Town Meeting article.
They approved the Property Management and Preventive Maintenance Plan for the project at 200-400 Quannapowitt Parkway. The board also signed off on the hardscape materials being used after member Joe Pride visited the site and was impressed with the materials being used.
The Zoning Board of Appeals voted on July 13, 2022 to approve the Special Permit and other zoning relief to allow Cabot Cabot & Forbes to construct 440 units of housing in three buildings at 200-400 Quannapowitt Parkway. The decision requires the developer to make substantial financial contributions to the town for improving the water quality of Lake Quannapowitt and addressing future traffic mitigation around the project.
The site of the development was previously the home of American Mutual and later, Comverse Technologies.
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Several other hearings on last week’s ZBA agenda were postponed by the board to future meetings at the request of the applicants.
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Board member Chip Tarbell asked when the board could return to in-person meetings. Board secretary Gail Conroy said that she would raise the question again with Town Administrator Stephen P. Maio. Several members expressed an eagerness to return to in person/hybrid Zoom meetings.
Chairman Tom Lucey said that he would want a chance to familiarize himself with the technology for hybrid meetings ahead of time.