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Wetlands require permeable parking; project team debates durability, cost and truck‑fill design
Summary
Design staff said wetlands reviewers require permeable surfacing for parking in the upland review area, triggering higher costs and scheduling constraints; the team also discussed truck‑fill connections, a below‑grade retention structure, pipe sizing and a preliminary blasting plan for subterranean utilities.
Design staff told the project team that wetlands reviewers will approve the plan only if parking spaces in the upland review area use permeable surfacing. The civil engineer said permeable asphalt will meet the wetlands condition but increases unit costs—two to three times the price of conventional asphalt for the affected spots—and requires scheduling at a single regional plant that must be dedicated to the special mix.
Participants debated tradeoffs. Several members raised durability and winter‑maintenance concerns for permeable pavement in a high‑use, plowed facility, noting that snowplows, salt and heavy apparatus could damage permeable surfacing; staff responded that annual vacuum maintenance is required but manageable. One participant argued conventional asphalt would be more durable and safer for first responders in winter operations.
Separately, the team walked through truck‑fill and tank design options for apparatus operations. Designers described a 15,000‑gallon chambered concrete structure under the front apron that would collect site stormwater and also serve as a filling source. Attendees discussed placing ground‑level front fill connections to allow one‑person filling without climbing onto trucks (a system used in neighboring Colchester was noted as an example), versus overhead fills. The group also considered larger fill piping (two 5‑inch lines) and a manhole option to increase flow for faster fills during incidents, while noting pressurization and pump sizing implications.
A preliminary blasting plan will map subterranean utilities, tanks and the storm structure so the team can calculate cubic yards of rock to be removed. Staff said MEP specifications are being compiled and that Duffford has provided RFIs to clarify contractor pricing; the team agreed to coordinate and return final specifications for owner review.
The meeting closed with scheduling notes and plans to circulate updated drawings and specifications.
