Franklin St. residents can expect 104 new neighbors
Published on July 15th, 1998
STONEHAM, MA - The Board of Selectmen approved three site plans at Tuesday night's meeting including one for a 70-unit assisted living center on Franklin Street.
A unanimous vote was tendered by the selectmen in the case of CareMatrix, purchaser of property at 128-140 Franklin St., presently Mac's Landscaping Inc.
Charles Houghton, petitioner for the applicant, explained that the proposed three-story structure would house up to 104 persons, mostly seniors, who require minimal medical care.
The structure which presently exists on the site which serves as a retail gardening center would be razed and replaced by the 70-unit colonial style structure which, a CareMatrix spokesperson told the board, would "resemble a large home."
The board's main concern in the proposal was drainage at and around the site, a problem which area residents and businesses have been inundated with in the past. Houghton explained that the applicant would construct retention areas at the site to slow runoff and would also replace an existing 36-inch pipe which lies underneath Franklin St. and is believed to be inoperable. This, he said, would reduce flooding problems on Franklin Street.
Correspondence from Franklin Street resident John DeGeorge, who could not appear at the meeting, was read into the record and discussed by board members. DeGeorge proposed that steps be taken to carry water runoff from the north side of the street, where CareMatrix would be located, to the south side. He then proposed that an additional pipe carry this water out of the area and into a nearby brook as much of the surface water in the area does now.
Houghton said that, while CareMatrix would gladly make such improvements to the area, he doubted if the Conservation Commission would allow this to be done.
"If they allow it, we don't have any problem with doing it," he explained. "If it can work, it makes our site better.
"My opinion is that we could have difficulty (gaining approval for the plan)."
He explained that it is the Conservation Commission's duty to reduce and slow down water runoff whenever possible. In this case, water runoff time would be greatly increased and water levels in the brook could rise, causing further problems downstream, Houghton said.
"It's very unusual for the Conservation Commission to let you increase the water flow downstream," Board member John Biggio agreed.
Town Administrator supported the proposed plans by saying, "I think by fixing that 36-inch pipe, it helps the problem. It slows down the flow."
Board member Albert Conti said that he would like to see the flooding problems on Franklin St. remedied in the most affective manner. If this means going before the Conservation Commission with DeGeorge's plan, he said, then the applicant should do so.
"I'm not so sure that (Cons-Com denial) is a foregone conclusion and I think we should keep going until we hear 'no' from everyone," he said. "I'm trying to get a solution to the flooding problem.
"I want to end up with every possibility explored."
Houghton agreed to present alternate plans to the Conservation Commission and let them rule on which drainage system to implement.
Board member Cosmo Ciccarello asked Houghton and his traffic consultant, Bruce Campbell, if the new use would cause additional tie-ups on the roadway.
Campbell explained that the new use would actually reduce the number of cars going in and out of the site. In addition, he said that, Houghton explained that shift changes at the assisted living center could be scheduled so as to not interfere with High School and rush hour traffic.
CareMatrix will likely appear before the ConsCom in late August.
In other board business, a green light was given to a six-unit condominium complex on Gilmore Street.
Houghton, attorney for the applicant, explained that area residents had complained about an oil company which had based its operation on the site for some time. Residents were in favor of this proposal, he said.
The board approved the plan unanimously.
Finally, the go ahead was given to Stoneham Cooperative Bank to renovate the existing building at 68 and 80 to 84 Montvale Avenue, tear down an existing car wash and open a new branch at the site.
Houghton, also an attorney for Stoneham Coop, said that about 80 employees would be working in the building and explained that changes had been made in the parking lot to ease traffic concerns tendered by the board at its last meeting.
The board also approved these plans unanimously.
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