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Planning board hears DOT-driven drainage and grading changes for Boston Outdoor Living site; no final permit yet
Summary
Representatives for Boston Outdoor Living told the Charlton Planning Board that DOT-required field changes removed a trench drain, added two catch basins and about 400 feet of pipe, and lowered the building two feet; the board asked for revised stormwater analysis and postponed final action.
CHARLTON, Mass. — The Planning Board received an update on field changes to the Boston Outdoor Living site (formerly Green Boys Landscaping) after state transportation review prompted design revisions to drainage and grading.
The applicant said the building elevation was lowered by two feet but remained in the same location. At DOT’s direction the project removed a previously planned trench drain at the entrance, installed two catch basins near the top of the site, and added roughly 400 feet of pipe to convey runoff to an existing drop inlet. The applicant said DOT’s current guidance is to keep stormwater on the parcel; the town was asked to provide an updated stormwater analysis showing the site still meets applicable standards.
Why it matters: The changes alter how driveway runoff will be handled and could shift where water reaches the street. Board members raised concerns about grading, winter icing, and the slope changes created by lowering the building and rotating the septic system.
Details from the discussion The applicant said the trench drain that once collected a portion of driveway runoff had been removed after DOT review; two catch basins were added near the top of the driveway and a long pipe now conveys water to a downstream drop inlet. The applicant also reported test pits and reports were done across the site at DOT’s request. The back slope of the site became steeper — roughly from 2.5:1 to about 2:1 — when the building was lowered two feet; the applicant proposed erosion control measures including erosion blanket notes in the field change documentation.
DOT comments and design questions The applicant said DOT had asked for a revised stormwater analysis to confirm standards are still met and also requested the driveway entrance be designed for a WB-67 vehicle (a design vehicle class used in state guidance), which would increase the entrance width beyond the site's current opening. The applicant said they had asked DOT to explain why a 70-foot-deck trailer specification was necessary for this site; DOT had not given a clear technical justification in the applicant’s meetings to date.
Board action and status Board members said the package of field-change paperwork was not yet complete for final action. The consensus of the board was to postpone formal action until the applicant provided the revised stormwater calculations and supporting documentation to the town engineer (Mike) and staff. No formal vote on a permit or final field-change approval was recorded.
Ending The applicant will prepare a revised plan set and hydrologic analysis to respond to DOT and town engineering comments and return for the planning board’s review.
