Powder Mill flooding brings development fears 3/30/01
The recent overflow of the Shawsheen River has put the spotlight on a large residential and commercial proposal at Powder Mill Square, an area flooded last weekend.
By Shawn Regan
Eagle-Tribune Writer
ANDOVER The wake of record flooding on the Shawsheen River last week has left residents drying their basements and reinvigorated opposition to a massive housing and office proposal on the banks of the river.
Northpoint Realty Development Corp. is proposing the construction of 114 housing units 29 reserved for low- and middle-income buyers in a single, four-story, U-shaped building and a 65,000-square-foot medical office building at Powder Mill Square. The property sits on five acres within the Shawsheen River flood plain, wedged between North Main Street, Stevens Street and the river.
Northpoint is awaiting preliminary approval next month from the Massachusetts Housing Finance Agency for a so-called "anti-snob" affordable-housing project, which would send the plan to the town Zoning Board of Appeals.
Northpoint received approval last year from the town for a smaller, 72 unit project. But appeals and law suits by neighbors have delayed the project. The new 114-unit affordable-housing project would allow developers to evade the lawsuit and circumvent almost 50 safeguards set by the Planning Board.
The project's controversial engineering takes into account the flooding of the Shawsheen with a new fangled underground parking garage that would be designed to flood and store water when the river jumps it's banks.
Northpoint's Louis P. Minicucci said the flooding brought on by last week's storm has reassured him the parking garage will accommodate severe storms. If the housing complex had been in the square whe the river overflowed Saturday, Mr. Minicucci said, six inches of water would have filled the bottom level of the garage, sparing the homes above from damage.
Powder Mill Square neighbor have a decidedly different view.
"It's clear to everyone except the people trying to make money on this, that if this project is ever built, it's going to be a big mess," said Harding Street's Pat Robbins, one of 10 neighbors who have appealed the Conservation Commission's approval of the project to the state Department of Environmental Protection. "I believe the Conservation Commission was derelict in performing it's job of protecting the flood plain."
Mr. Robbins said he believes the commission was "wowed by North point's fancy flooding-basement plan" and ignored issues like the fact that part of the office will be in th flood plain and that the project significantly reduces the amount of land that can absorb water.
"When this area floods recently about every couple of years the town will be evacuating people, towmg cars, and spending a lot of money and energy helping the residents,"he said
Another neighbor, Diane H. Rutkowski of 9 Ellsworth Drive, doesn't understand why the town would approve a large residential development on land that has flooded four times since 1987. In addition to last week, the Shawsheen overflowed in 1987, 1996 and 1998.
"It's ludicrous," Mrs. Rutkowski said Saturday. "I just walked down there and the whole area is under water."
Conservation Administrator'~' James A. Greer said the Conservation Commission's role was to make sure the plan for dealing with the flood waters would work.
"The standard for a development in a flood plain is that it must not leave less flood (water) storage," Mr. Greer said. "And with the garage, their project will actually provide more storage, as long as it works like it's supposed to."
Still outstanding, Mr. Greer said, is the state environmental agency's review. The timing of last week's flooding may end up being a fortunate break for project opponents, as both state agencies are reportedly close to making rulings.
Town Planning Director Stephen L.Colyer said he is drafting a list of concerns for the housing agency to consider.
"The flooding last week was as bad as I have ever seen," Mr. Colyer said. "We'll be raising concerns regarding the flooding and we think (the housing agency) is going to have very good cause to inspect the plan very closely."
Mr. Colyer said many people are viewing the affordable plan as a slap in the face.
"Mr. Minicucci told us he had a viable project at 72 units, so now why is it 114?" Mr. Colyer said. "I told him he's going to have to do some fancy talking to justify the additional units."
If Northpoint is granted a comprehensive permit, Mr. Colyer said, he is concerned the safeguards set by the Planning Board might not be adhered to.
"It would be less bothersome if (Mr. Minicucci) would lock in the conditions," Mr. Colyer said. "But I don't think he is going to agree to that."
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