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Lowell panel closes out River's Edge compliance and approves final phase with tree, signage conditions
Summary
The commission issued a certificate of compliance for the River's Edge project and approved a notice-of-intent for the final phase (adding 16 lots to increase units from 181 to 187) with conditions including a planting plan (two trees per lot), wetland signage, and subsurface stormwater recharge.
The Lowell Conservation Commission voted May 27 to issue a certificate of compliance for the River's Edge project and to approve a continued notice of intent for the project's final phase, with special conditions to strengthen wetland protection and landscaping.
Attorney John Gary of Gary & Gary LLP told the commission the developer, Residence First Development Corporation, has submitted as-built plans, a wetlands report and floodplain compensatory calculations under DEP file number 2060631 and believes the project has "substantially complied" with the prior order of conditions. The project team said the final phase (phase 5) would add 16 lots and increase the approved unit count from 181 to 187, converting some previously approved single units into duplexes to allow more owner-occupied affordable homes. Gary said much of the project's future funding will come from the Commonwealth Builders Grant, and having permits in hand is a requirement for that competitive grant.
Engineer Brian (Haley Ward) reviewed revised plans and said the major change is replacing an open detention basin with a subsurface concrete-chamber recharge system designed to collect and treat stormwater and recharge groundwater, with an overflow that discharges to the wetland in large storms. He said the floodplain compensatory areas and mitigation measures meet 1:1 stage-storage requirements described in the as-built plan and accompanying wetland report.
Commissioners and staff pressed for additional plantings and protection measures. The commission required a planting plan that provides two trees per lot (32 trees for 16 lots) and additional shrubs to better delineate and buffer the wetland edge; commissioners also asked that permanent "conservation area / do not disturb" signage from the original order be carried forward. The developer agreed to an administrative review process for the planting plan by city staff. One commissioner favored increasing signage and suggested spacing trees to maximize buffer coverage.
Procedurally, the commission voted to issue the certificate of compliance for the completed River's Edge work and to adopt a standard City of Lowell order of conditions for the new notice of intent with the special conditions noted. The commission also confirmed staff will review and approve the planting plan administratively and that the developer will return for any required site-acceptance or city street-acceptance steps.
Next steps: the developer will provide the formal planting plan and final as-built documentation for staff review; the developer will pursue Commonwealth Builders Grant funding with permits in hand.
