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ZBA approves conversion of former Mammoth Road firehouse to three residences with engineering conditions
Summary
The Zoning Board approved variances Sept. 9 allowing the former Mammoth Road firehouse at 93 Mammoth Road to be redeveloped into three residential units, granting relief from minimum lot area, lot area per dwelling, floor area ratio and usable open space requirements; approval included two conditions requested by the board.
The City of Lowell Zoning Board of Appeals on Sept. 9 approved variances to permit the redevelopment of the former Mammoth Road firehouse at 93 Mammoth Road into three residential units.
Attorney John Geary told the board his client, Scaff Realty LLC, purchased the property via a July 1 purchase-and-sale agreement contingent on receiving municipal approvals. The project will convert the dilapidated municipal building into Unit 1 (Second/Third floor, about 2,400 sq ft, three bedrooms, one bath), Unit 2 (Second/Third floor, about 3,000 sq ft, three bedrooms, two baths) and Unit 3 (first floor, about 1,200 sq ft, two bedrooms, one bath). The site is in the Neighborhood Business district and sits on about 5,346 square feet of land.
Geary outlined the zoning relief sought under Section 5.1: minimum lot area (district requires 6,000 sq ft; proposed 5,346), lot area per dwelling unit (requirement 2,500 sq ft per unit; proposed approx. 1,782), floor area ratio (maximum 1.0; proposed 1.1) and minimum usable open space (required 250 sq ft per dwelling unit; none provided on site). He said the property is nearly across the street from Father Maguire Park, which provides open space for residents. Engineer Matt Hammer of Lamplex described site improvements including added green space, two parking spaces per dwelling within garage bays and additional landscaping, and agreed to work with the stormwater team on drainage improvements.
John Geary said staff and the economic development team view the proposal as an improvement over the current site. The fire department’s review required a sprinkler system for the redeveloped building, which the applicant acknowledged.
Board members praised the adaptive reuse plan. Member McCarthy moved approval with two conditions: that the applicant work with the Department of Planning and Development (DPD) to try to provide a street shade tree and that the applicant adopt seven engineering-department comments; the vice chair seconded. The board recorded unanimous approval (Chairman Peck, Vice Chair Callahan, Member McCarthy, Member Hovey and Member Prokop). The applicant said the sale has not yet closed and anticipated breaking ground in the spring pending final approvals.
No members of the public spoke in opposition at the hearing.
