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Planning Board continues 52 Woodbine Avenue site-plan review; DPW to review utilities
Summary
The Northampton Planning Board continued its review of a proposed multi-unit site at 52 Woodbine Avenue to Feb. 12 to allow Department of Public Works review of water and sewer connections. Staff and the applicant said DCR declined to permit a private-only connection to the Mass Central Rail Trail; the applicant proposed pervious asphalt to address stormwater.
The Northampton City Planning Board on Jan. 22 continued consideration of a site plan for 52 Woodbine Avenue until Feb. 12 so the Department of Public Works can complete a review of water and sewer connections.
Planning staff summarized outstanding technical items including tree protection during construction, a questioned connection to the Mass Central Rail Trail, and confirmation of water and sewer service separations for each unit. Carolyn, a planning staff member, said the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) provided a written response indicating DCR "will not allow a connection from this property onto their property because it would only be for private use and it's not a public access." The board must formally acknowledge any waiver of the city requirement if a neighboring landowner refuses access.
An applicant representative told the board revised plans (stormwater management, grading, and sewer/water connection details) were submitted the day of the meeting and confirmed staff received them but that DPW had not had time to review. The applicant said the design includes pervious asphalt and an arborist report; as the applicant described it, "we're actually doing pervious asphalt, which alleviates our stormwater management," and that the tree protection report and utility separations are included in the submission.
Board members pressed for clarity on several technical points. Members asked staff to verify whether porous driveway surfaces count toward the city's open-space calculation and requested that the applicant provide the explicit open-space calculation used on the plans; staff said the current plans show 49% open space while the district requirement is 40%. Another member noted that, because the site is tight, the exact locations of water and sewer lines could dictate building layout and therefore recommended DPW review before final action.
A board member moved to continue the review to Feb. 12 at 8:30 p.m. to allow DPW time to review the submitted utility and stormwater materials; the motion carried. The board said it expects to review DPW comments and any plan adjustments at that hearing and that the applicant and members could provide further comment at or before the next meeting.
Next steps: DPW review of submitted sewer/water connection plans and two weeks of staff time to circulate DPW comments ahead of the Feb. 12 continuation. If DPW flags changes that affect site layout, the board will reconsider those specific items at the next hearing.
