Templeton Zoning Board finds Baldwinville School revisions minor, approves EV charging and design tweaks

The Town of Templeton Zoning Board of Appeals voted Feb. 20 to find proposed revisions to the Baldwinville School comprehensive permit “minor” and approved the changes, allowing the applicant to finalize paperwork needed ahead of project closing.

The finding clears the way for the applicant, CC MPZ School Street LLC, to record the revisions and submit them for the next round of approvals needed to close financing and begin construction. Project representatives said the changes do not alter the permit’s overall approvals.

Laurie Zahler, presenting the revisions to the board, said the project “now includes 8 EV charging stations and provisions for 10 future EV charging stations,” noting the comprehensive permit required four. Zahler said the chargers will be ChargePoint units and that the project is coordinating with the Mass EVIP program to help pay for stations. She told the board the chargers are intended for residents of the development.

Zahler also described a subsurface infiltration system in the northwest parking area that was redesigned to a smaller profile with a larger footprint to maintain adequate separation from groundwater. She said the system’s capacity remains unchanged from the previously approved design and that the changes were engineering and grading refinements rather than new calculations.

Other site changes include grading modifications to reduce earthwork export, elimination of a secondary ornamental stair to the plaza, and minor adjustments to landscape materials and planting schedules. Architectural changes include shifting the connector between the historic Baldwinville School and the new addition slightly north, switching some panel siding to horizontal lap siding and fiber cement panels, removing some vertical trim, reducing the addition’s entry canopy by approximately 20%, and adding two historically styled windows on Level 1E of the historic building. Zahler characterized these as aesthetic and cost-saving measures and said they are not substantial under Chapter 40B rules.

During discussion, a board member asked whether conservation and engineering reviewers had signed off on the infiltration changes; Zahler said the project changed its engineer in recent months, the new engineer reviewed the documentation, and the calculations did not change. A board member also asked whether the charging stations would be limited to residents; Zahler confirmed they were for use by people living at the development.

Board members voted to classify the revisions as minor, permitting the board chair or designated official to sign the revised documents so the applicant can proceed. The vote recorded affirmative votes from board member Alan, board member Dennis, and an additional board member present (vote recorded as an affirmative). Following the vote, the applicant team indicated they expect to complete a financial closing and begin construction, with Zahler saying the team is “trying to break ground in April” and estimating about 18 months of construction.

The board and applicant emphasized that because the changes were deemed minor they do not require reopening a public hearing; the applicant will submit the revisions as part of the comprehensive-permit record and seek any external approvals tied to the project’s 40B process.

Votes at a glance - Motion: Find the submitted revisions to the Baldwinville School comprehensive permit to be minor and authorize signature to finalize the revised documents. Result: Passed (Alan: yes; Dennis: yes; additional board member present: yes).