Planning board tables Spring Street reconstruction, seeks drainage, utility and jurisdictional information

The Fall River Planning Board on April 8 voted to table consideration of a Spring Street roadway reconstruction plan until its next meeting after asking the applicant for additional technical and legal information.

Attorney Arthur Frank, representing the applicant, Tividant Investments, introduced engineer Bill Smith of Civil Engineering Concepts, who said the project would develop several lots accessed from Spring Street, a roadway that crosses the Fall River–Tiverton line. "We're dealing with multiple cities and multiple states," Smith said, describing a proposal that would rely on on-site septic systems and wells and would tap existing overhead electric rather than connect to municipal water or gas.

The board signaled multiple outstanding concerns that must be resolved before the board will consider waivers to local road standards. City engineer Dan Aguar asked the applicant to provide documentation proving the legal authority to construct Spring Street and to supply existing-condition plans for Bullduck (Bold's) Lane — including width, line and grade. He also said he had not received drainage calculations: "We would just need to see some calculations of the soil conditions, the sizing of these, what storm they can accommodate," Aguar said, citing Fall River's drainage-sizing requirements.

A board member expressed concern about proposed overhead utilities and the absence of roadway lighting on a section narrower than the town's standard, recommending underground utilities and lighting for safety and access. The applicant said Rhode Island standards on the Tiverton side require rain gardens and infiltration for each new house, and that soil testing results would be supplied to Fall River staff for sizing of infiltration features.

The board also discussed aerial imagery that appears to show recent clearing and gravel placement in the right-of-way and flagged potential erosion-control and permitting issues. Smith said the applicant had met with Tiverton officials and expected one more meeting there before completing cross-jurisdiction approvals.

After staff summarized outstanding items — drainage calculations, soil information, legal right-to-construct documentation, Community Utilities' comments and verification of recent site work — a motion to table the item to the board's following meeting carried on a roll-call vote (Gloria, Beth, Michael and Chair John Ferrer voting yes).

The board clarified process expectations: each waiver requested from road and subdivision standards will be discussed and voted on individually when the matter returns. The applicant committed to supplying the requested calculations, test results and plans to enable a fuller technical review.

The board took no final votes on roadway waivers or plan approvals at the April 8 meeting; the Spring Street item will return after the applicant submits the requested materials.