Lowell Planning Board approves Boston Gas regulator station at 130 West Jenner Street

The Lowell Planning Board on June 1 approved a special permit and site plan for Boston Gas Company to build a natural‑gas regulator station at 130 West Jenner Street, located in a suburban single‑family zoning district. The board approved the applications with conditions from city engineering requiring a trench permit, a driveway permit and a storm‑water permit, and asked the company to work with planning staff on additional screening for the residential side.

Why it matters: The project places two small unmanned regulator buildings in a constrained utility corridor adjacent to residential lots. Board members pressed the applicant on noise, odors, security and visual screening because the site is near homes and contains other utilities, transmission lines and a sewer easement.

Attorney Joshua Lee Smith, representing Boston Gas, described the proposal as an “infrastructure improvement project” that would include two small buildings “one building is approximately 950 square feet. The other building is about 600…,” a paved access drive and a fenced, crushed‑stone station area. He said the company designed the layout to set the facility back from homes and to use existing vegetative buffering. “This will be a what the company refers to as an unmanned station,” Smith said, adding that personnel would visit only for routine inspections and maintenance.

Board members asked whether the station would generate noise or odors. A company representative answered repeatedly that the equipment is internally housed and that “no” noise or smell would be expected. National Grid engineer Joe Zagurella clarified that the yellow markers near the site mark a high‑pressure line installed previously and are not part of the regulator installation.

On security and appearance, the applicant proposed a 6‑ft chain‑link fence without barbed wire, said the buildings would be locked concrete structures and noted the facilities are remotely monitored. Board members discussed options for added opacity or decorative treatments on the fence and whether slats would create wind‑load problems; the board asked the applicant to work with planning staff to finalize fence type and screening. The applicant also proposed evergreen plantings at the corner facing neighbors.

City engineering recommended and the board conditioned approvals on the applicant obtaining a trench permit from engineering, a driveway permit for the proposed paving work and a storm‑water permit; those conditions were included in both the special permit and the site plan approvals. The board recorded the approvals during the meeting and instructed the applicant to return with final permit documentation for sign‑off.

Next steps: The applicant must secure the three required permits from the engineering and storm‑water reviewers and coordinate final screening treatments with planning staff before final sign‑off.