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Planning Board recommends approval of driveway permit at 24 Lewis Street with retaining‑wall and permeable paving conditions
Summary
The board recommended approval of a driveway opening permit for 24 Lewis Street and asked applicants to submit retaining‑wall plans and use permeable paving; the recommendation goes to the Zoning Board July 8.
The Chelsea Planning Board voted to recommend that the Zoning Board approve a driveway opening permit for 24 Lewis Street, subject to conditions requiring submission of retaining‑wall plans to the Department of Permitting and Land Use and using permeable paving or equivalent stormwater‑sensitive materials.
Applicants Adonai Cortez and Cecilia Flores, residents of 24 Lewis Street, told the board they are seeking a driveway because cars have been vandalized and one was targeted for theft. “We’re asking for your permission if we can build that driveway,” Cortez said.
Board members asked technical questions about grade, retaining‑wall height and stormwater. A board member measured the existing front wall and reported it is about 18 inches high; staff said any driveway will require retaining walls and appropriate grading to avoid unsafe vehicle movements. Planning staff noted that a zoning amendment enacted the evening before allows homeowners in some cases to retain residential parking stickers even if they create a front‑yard driveway, and that the applicants will still need Zoning Board approval.
The board’s recommendation includes conditions that applicants supply specific retaining‑wall plans to the Department of Permitting and Land Use prior to construction and that the driveway surface minimize runoff through permeable pavers or similar materials where feasible. The board scheduled the Zoning Board hearing for July 8.
