By MARK SARDELLA
WAKEFIELD — The Chapter 40B affordable housing project know as Crescent Commons will likely be approved by the Zoning Board of Appeals at its next meeting on Feb. 23.
The ZBA reviewed the latest revised plans and a draft decision on the project last night with the developer’s attorney, Brian McGrail. Minor tweaks were made to the plans and edits were made to the decision text. The board also reviewed a list of conditions for the project, an operation and maintenance plan and a tentative construction schedule.
The plan was originally proposed by developer Steven Boccelli one year ago, in Feb. 2021, as a 56-unit 40B rental project. It has been reduced in size and density several times in the course of the hearing process in response to feedback from the board and from the public. The current and likely final plan calls for 40 units.
The proposed site is in the General Residence zoning district. Currently on the site are three two- and three-family homes at 44, 46 and 48 Crescent St. The combined land area of the site is 25,113 square feet. Twenty-five percent of the units in the proposed building will be affordable, but as rentals, Wakefield will get credit for all 40 units toward its affordable housing inventory.
It was a challenging project for both the ZBA and the developer and there have been some bumps in the road during the year-long hearing process.
When the hearings on the project appeared to hit an impasse last spring, the ZBA assigned a subcommittee of Jim McBain and Ami Wall to work with the development team to try to resolve some of the issues with the size and design of the proposed building.
In June, Zoning Board of Appeals brought in an affordable housing consultant to work with the town and the developer in an effort to resolve the issues. The board took advantage of a program offered by the Massachusetts Housing Partnership whereby a consultant works with the Zoning Board and the developer in negotiating comprehensive permits for 40B affordable housing projects. The Crescent Commons project was accepted into the program and Ezra Glenn was assigned as the consultant.
In August, ZBA Chairman David Hatfield implored the developer to try to find some way to address the board’s and the neighbors’ concerns related to size, mass, parking and safety.
In October, McGrail noted that the development team had continued meeting with the ZBA subcommittee to work toward design modifications that would be palatable to the full board. He explained that in changing the architectural design to reduce the massing on the fourth floor, it was necessary to eliminate two more units on that floor.
McGrail said at the time that the latest modifications showed that his client was willing to invest the time and money necessary to come up with a workable plan.
By December, the Zoning Board of Appeals seemed to be mostly pleased with the latest revisions to the architectural plans. McBain said that over the 10 subcommittee meetings a lot of issues had been addressed and resolved. Board members observed that the latest architectural plan, which incorporated Victorian elements, made the proposed building look more like it belonged in the area.
At last night’s meeting, McGrail showed the board the latest architectural tweaks and renderings based on the board’s and the subcommittee’s feedback. He pointed out design details, showing the final exterior materials and palette of colors.
He reviewed the operations and maintenance plan, which he said was “pretty standard.”
ZBA Chairman David Hatfield and McGrail will hammer out the final editorial details in the draft decision over the next two weeks and the board is expected to vote at its next meeting.
When Hatfield opened last night’s hearing to the public, there was no public testimony on the project.
Once the project begins, construction is expected to take about a year and a half.
The board continued the hearing to its Feb. 23 meeting.