Planning board grants preliminary approval for 6 West Main rehab with conditions
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Summary
The Somerville Planning Board granted preliminary approval for the fire‑damaged building at 6 West Main Street, approving variances and waivers with conditions including a full NFPA‑13 sprinkler system, clarified egress, proof of code‑compliant unit sizes at final, a refuse enclosure and replacement street tree. Vote recorded unanimously in favor.
The Somerville Planning Board granted preliminary approval on March 20 for the proposed rehabilitation and limited rear addition at 6 West Main Street, a fire‑damaged three‑story building, subject to a set of conditions the board outlined before the vote.
Prashant Patel, the property owner, told the board he intends to reconstruct the building after fire damage and seek a commercial tenant on the first floor. "I'm the owner of the property, and I'm just proposing the renovation," Patel said during the hearing. Dharam Mehta, the project architect, presented photographs, site plans and elevations and described a roughly 141‑square‑foot addition to the second and third floors to enlarge existing apartments.
The board's conditions require the entire building to be protected by a full sprinkler system, the applicant to work with the board engineer to consider rear staircases for secondary egress, and the applicant to return for final with revised plans addressing items in the engineer's (Mike Cole's) report. The board also directed the applicant to provide proof at final that the proposed square footage and bedroom sizes meet applicable code (UCC), to document ADA applicability, to show the proposed refuse/dumpster location, and to replace the street tree removed at the site.
On parking, the board noted the project27s calculated preexisting parking ratio (0.4) does not generate additional RSIS parking demand under the borough ordinance. The applicant said basement space will be used for storage and mechanicals, not habitable use, and confirmed the project will install a new sanitary lateral to avoid routing sewer through a neighboring property.
A motion for preliminary approval (variances and waivers outlined in the board engineer27s letter, plus the conditions the board listed) was made and seconded. The roll call recorded yes votes from Jason Crasco; Mayor Gallagher; Council member Vroom; John Migno; Barry Van Horn; Andrea Dare; Chris Addicks; Larry Cleveland; and Tim Hayes. The motion carried.
The board directed the applicant and the project team to resolve the noted code, egress and accessibility questions between preliminary and final application and return with final plans that reflect the board27s conditions.