Conservation commission approves notice of intent for Squire Road garage with added flood openings

The Revere Conservation Commission voted to approve a notice of intent for a garage at the rear of Squire Road, DEP file number 0610844, after the applicant revised plans to add flood openings and adjust site grading.

The applicant is R and S Realty; Rick Selbo of Engineering Alliance presented on behalf of the applicant and said the Department of Environmental Protection reviewer requested flow-through openings because half the building sits within the floodplain. Selbo said the project team will "raise the grade slightly around the downhill side of this building so that it will be able to be removed from the floodplain," and that the plans now show openings sized to the state building code formula. He said the proposed openings provide about 29,500 square inches where roughly 13,950 would be required.

Commissioners discussed the plan and expressed support for the additional openings. After closing the hearing, a motion was made and seconded to approve the notice of intent; the commission recorded unanimous assent. The commission also noted the plan includes a planted buffer and that the proposed design will provide improved flood storage compared with the existing buildings, which currently lack flood openings.

No additional technical comments were listed in the file beyond the requested flood openings, and Selbo said he had provided the DEP analyst and the commission with the updated documents prior to the meeting. The commission closed the hearing and approved the notice of intent.

The approval allows the project to proceed to the next permitting steps with the DEP file number on record; construction timing was discussed generally as not immediate. The commission did not specify further conditions beyond the plan revisions presented at the hearing.