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Peabody conservation panel delays Northeast Arc group‑home plan after zoning and wetland concerns
Summary
Representatives for Northeast Arc and owner Northshore Heritage presented a plan to convert 303 L Street to a four‑bedroom group home and add a rear building; commissioners raised zoning, stormwater and emergency‑access concerns, neighbors objected, and the commission continued the item to April 8 and scheduled a site visit.
Peter Blazdell, an engineer and land surveyor for Williams Sparis, told the Peabody Conservation Commission the proposal for 303 L Street would “renovate the existing structure and convert it to a four‑bedroom group home” and add a new rear building as part of a two‑building program for people with disabilities.
The plan, submitted by William Spares LLC with Northeast Arc as the operator and Northshore Heritage Associates as owner, showed wetland and riverfront flags for Proctor Brook, proposed subsurface stormwater chambers and a driveway/parking reconfiguration. Blazdell said a recent revision to the drawings removed the existing garage, pulled the driveway back and reduced proposed impervious area by about 2,000 square feet, and that soil testing found sandy soils that provide good groundwater recharge.
Commissioners repeatedly questioned whether putting two separate homes on a single‑family lot was an appropriate use and whether required zoning and building‑code approvals were in place. One commissioner said emergency access and the performance of the proposed stormwater system inside the riverfront buffer were outstanding concerns. Blazdell said the applicant has engaged an attorney and is pursuing the necessary zoning relief and building‑department reviews, and that the rear building will be sprinklered to address fire‑safety concerns.
Neighbor Bob Costa of 305 L Street told the commission the proposal echoes an earlier, unsuccessful attempt near his property and said nearby and pending projects raise cumulative‑impact and flooding concerns: “He tried to do the same thing three years ago and he was shot down by your committee and the abutters,” Costa said.
The commission emphasized interdepartmental coordination — planning, building and fire — before any local conservation decision is finalized. Commissioners also requested the applicant provide additional department responses and asked staff to arrange a site visit once snow conditions improve. The commission voted to continue the notice of intent to the April 8 meeting to allow for those follow‑ups; the motion to continue was made by Green, seconded by Herup, and passed 7–0.
Next steps: The applicant will return with updated materials and any determinations from zoning/building departments. The commission will conduct a site visit and consider written responses from other city departments before taking further action.
