Planning Board Recommends Independent Living Condos
The Archer Street project now goes to the Zoning Board of Appeals for approval.
Photos
The Planning Board on Tuesday voted to recommend the Archer Street project — 15 condos for people 55 and older on a 4.87-acre parcel of undeveloped land — to the Zoning Board of Appeals.
The board members also requested that sidewalks be incorporated into the project.
The development, located near Vaughan Place, needs an independent living special permit, a site plan special permit and a frontage dimensional variance from the ZBA, said town Planner Pete Kane.
The developer, Ralph DiGiorgio, is scheduled to appear before the ZBA on Oct. 17.
On Tuesday, Planning Board members talked about the peer review of the project. The findings determined that the drainage study for the project was accurate, the town planner said.
Some minor calculations were off but not enough to call into question the accuracy of the study, he said.
The developer reduced the number of condos from 16 to 15, and said there would be no trucks off-loading material — excavated fill will be used on site.
At earlier board meetings neighbors expressed concerns about the project, including a fear that the building will exacerbate flooding problems for their homes.
But on Tuesday no abutters spoke for or against the project, the town planner said.
Editor's note: The original article had the wrong day, Wednesday, for the Planning Board meeting. It is now correctly stated above, Tuesday.
julee
1:52 pm on Thursday, October 11, 2012
that is because none of the abutters were aware that the issue was before the planning board. Just another example of underhanded dealings in the lovely town of swampscott
Pat
9:02 pm on Thursday, October 11, 2012
Are you kidding me! I am an abutter to this project and will be in direct line to any water coming down from the hill. No one, let me repeat, no one was notified that this was on the agenda last night. I am appalled how things are run in Town lately. The abutters and myself have previously received numerous notice to meetings--we show up, and they don't even have the courtesy or integrity to let anyone know that the meeting is cancelled (September's Zoning Board Meeting is just an example). What's going on? I can tell you now, we wil be in full force to the Zoning Board meeting next week.
Bob Crombie
9:23 pm on Thursday, October 11, 2012
I dont know guys. There is this:
http://www.town.swampscott.ma.us/Public_Documents/SwampscottMA_Calendar/S039C365D-03A335A2?formid=161
Looks like public notice of a hearing to me. Or maybe by "no one was notified" you mean "I didnt bother to check the public meetings notice for a issue I was really concerned about"
julee
9:31 pm on Thursday, October 11, 2012
Jerry Crowbar, do you not htink it is a little strange that a meeting that has been packed with abutters for 6 months was empoty last night? It is because when we have shown up the last 3 meetings they have given us a date to return, and the last time they gave the date as Oct 17. If it was just a couple of people missing the meeting, it wold make sense, but 50 or more...that;s a little questionable.
Maura Dandreo
9:37 am on Friday, October 12, 2012
Thanks for the link Jerry. The Public Meeting Notice posted in Town Hall states that the meeting was to be held on Tuesday, Oct. 9, 2012, and according to this article, the meeting took place on October 10, 2012.
Terry Date
10:18 am on Friday, October 12, 2012
The meeting was Tuesday and the article has been corrected. Thanks for pointing this out.
pamela boucher
2:32 pm on Friday, October 12, 2012
let it pass ok and to the abutters there is nothing having condos built for the older crowd that eventually will need some care
julee
9:55 am on Monday, October 15, 2012
It is not about condos for the older crowd, it is about them building 15 signle family homes where it is zoned for 4 or 5. This is without consideration for the existing problems in the neighborhood with flooding . Also, there is no provision for care for the "older crowd" it is just a means to skirt the existing zoning.