HomeMy WebLinkAbout12/09/2020 - Waiver Request - - 0 DALE STREET December 9, 2020
North Andover Planning Board
c/o North Andover Planning Department
120 North Main Street North Andover,MA 01845
Dear North Andover Planning Board,
On behalf of the Essex County Greenbelt Association(Greenbelt),the Town of North Andover requests a waiver from
the Watershed Protection District Special Permit for the Glennie Woodlot parking area project, in accordance with the
Town of North Andover Zoning Bylaw Section 195.24-Waiver of special permit. This waiver is being sought
retroactively, as tree clearing and gravel surfacing for the parking lot were conducted previously.
The lot, known as Glennie Woodlot,was established prior to October 24th, 1994. The lot was purchased in February
2020 by the Town,with funding from the Community Preservation Committee approved at the 2019 Annual Town
Meeting and funding from Greenbelt. This purchase included an agreement that Greenbelt construct the parking lot.
The project area is 125 feet from the nearest wetland,while more than a half-mile from the Lake Cochichewick high
water mark,placing the project in the Non-Discharge Buffer Zone. The lot is 9.25 acres,with the land being mostly
wooded and containing an access road and lot with a pervious gravel surface.
The project scope consisted of clearing 10 trees,removing stumps,removing top soil for the driveway and parking lot,
and laying gravel for the driveway and parking lot. Three of the removed trees were over 12 inches in diameter at
breast height. The driveway is 18 feet wide, extending approximately 60 feet at an angle into the lot from Dale Street.
The driveway ends at the parking area,which is designed for five to six vehicles,being approximately 40 feet by 50
feet. All gravel areas follow the natural topography of the lot,with the driveway sloping downward towards Dale
Street and much of the parking area sloping downward towards Village Way.
Aside from the parking area and driveway,the entire lot will be preserved as open space. The use of the lot for
conservation along with the unpaved driving and parking areas should allow for high infiltration of water and prevent
substantial increases in stormwater runoff on the lot. A waiver of the Watershed Protection District special permit is
requested, due to the absence of an entirely impervious structure or expansion thereof and the limited disturbance to
existing topography(as indicated in Section 195-4.24A of the North Andover Zoning Bylaw), as well as mitigating
stormwater runoff with materials more permeable than pavement(where runoff may otherwise necessitate a special
permit under Section 195-4.19B(2a).
A sketch of the parking area and a contour map showing wetlands are attached. We look forward to further discussion
and review of this project. Please reach out with any questions.
Sincerely,
Daniel Beckley
Staff Planner
North Andover Town Hall
120 Main Street
North Andover,MA 01845