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Planning board continues review of after‑the‑fact grading and parking work at 60 Columbian Street
Summary
The planning board continued the public hearing for an after‑the‑fact grading permit at 60 Columbian Street after staff and abutters raised concerns about unpermitted work, outstanding stormwater documentation and the need for an engineer's affidavit; the hearing was continued to Nov. 12 to allow submission of missing items.
The Planning Board on Oct. 14 continued the public hearing for a grading permit and special permit application at 60 Columbian Street (filed by Banner Park Campus LLC) after staff identified work performed before permits were issued and requested missing documentation.
Engineer Carlos Sculte (Veil and Environment Consultants) described the project as expanding an existing parking lot from roughly 85 to 150 spaces and adding about 26,500 square feet of impervious area within a 2.5‑acre work area. He said the team installed a subsurface stormwater detention system, new catch basins, a water‑quality structure and limited grading with a retaining wall less than 4 feet tall to minimize clearing.
Planning staff told the board that the construction occurred prior to final permitting and that the applicant must supply a minor stormwater permit (including HydroCAD files, O&M plan and AutoCAD files) and an affidavit from the civil engineer confirming the installed drainage matches the approved plans. Sculte said the materials were provided to staff that day and that, “based on what we saw in the in the construction, we believe it was built per plan, so it shouldn't be a problem providing it.”
Abutters raised procedural and safety concerns: Deanna Murphy said neighbors were surprised to find work already underway and asked for inspections and better notification; Robert Tomer reported vehicle circulation problems at site exits and urged clearer signage. Planning staff and the applicant agreed to address signage with the property owner and the soon‑to‑be‑occupying RMV.
The board voted to continue the hearing to November 12 to allow staff to draft conditions and for the applicant to submit the required affidavit and stormwater permit materials.
