Engineer says proposed Greenland Road dealership will add stormwater protections; abutter raises environmental worries

Neil Hansen, the civil engineer for the applicant, described revisions intended to improve site environmental performance: reuse of existing driveways, reconfigured parking for better circulation, moving pavement away from wetlands, and adding stormwater treatment to meet current standards. The applicant argued these changes would improve conditions relative to the existing site.

An abutter, Debbie Luddington, countered that the reduced open space and large building footprint raise concerns about wetlands impacts, traffic and property values. Board members pressed the applicant on the scope of environmental testing and on what corrective steps would be required if contamination were found; the applicant said any contamination identified would be addressed during construction and that more detailed review will occur at the planning-board stage.

The zoning board’s role was limited to dimensional variances; environmental mitigation and traffic studies were described as matters for planning-board review and for the applicant’s subsequent submissions.