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Bethany Farms proposes rebuilt garden center at 945 North Street with stormwater basins and reduced pavement
Summary
Bethany Farms & Nursery presented a plan July 2 to reconstruct the former Frank’s Garden Center at 945 North Street with reduced impervious area, stormwater quality basins, new plantings and invasive species control; city engineer review is pending.
Bethany Farms & Nursery LLC on July 2 presented application IW‑25‑0037 to reconstruct the former Frank’s Garden Center at 945 North Street, proposing to reuse the existing building footprint, reduce overall pavement, add stormwater quality basins behind the building and install buffer and street‑tree plantings along North Street.
Engineer Ronald Wozmer said the site currently has fragmented pavement and no stormwater mitigation and described proposed shallow water‑quality basins: “The one where, Mary Rose was pointing is only 6 inches deep. The middle one is approximately 18 inches deep, and the one at the southerly end is approximately 2 feet.” He said the basins are designed to improve on‑site water quality, slow flows and allow shallow infiltration rather than discharge directly to the brook.
Landscape architect and wetland scientist Matthew Popp said the basins would be seeded and planted with wetland‑tolerant plugs and native species (examples discussed included blue flag iris and swamp milkweed) and that additional buffer plantings and street trees are proposed. Popp noted an existing invasive knotweed presence behind the property and the team agreed to add notes and control measures for invasives to the plan.
Commissioners asked whether a secondary driveway off Woodruff Road (located within the upland review area) could be removed to reduce impervious area; the applicant said that driveway provides operations and truck access but said they would consider alternatives. Commissioners also asked about a proposed 1,500‑gallon propane tank; the applicant said it is about 80 feet from the wetland and that they would consider relocating it.
Staff advised the commission that the city engineer’s review had not yet been completed and that a snow‑management plan would be added to the submittal prior to action on the application. The applicant offered to provide hard copies of plans to commissioners on request.
No vote was taken; the commission received the application and directed the applicant to provide the city engineer’s comments, a snow‑management plan, invasive species controls, and consideration of the secondary driveway location prior to further action.
