The Conservation Commission on Tuesday continued a hearing on proposed parking lot revisions to 75 South Street, noting that the project’s scope was greater than anticipated.

The applicant, Lance LaFave, intends to repurpose 75 South Street from a commercial/industrial building to an office building/warehouse.

It is used now for offices and manufacturing. The property was purchased in September 2024 by Magunco Realty LLC. The 32,000-square-foot building was constructed in 1973 and houses multiple tenants, including RSC Industries and CTS Valpey Corporation. Magunco Realty has “taken over” CTS Valpey, he said.

Consultant Joe Marquedant explained the plan on behalf of the applicant. He noted that an issue with the property is the position of the loading dock. There is a 4-foot differential between the loading dock and the building, and a “separate apparatus” would have to move materials into the building.

Another issue is that the parking area at 71 Hayward Street at that corner of 75 South Street had been used by the previous tenant of this property. Now, Riverside Properties accesses it much more frequently, preventing delivery trucks from backing into 75 South Street’s loading dock.

Marquedant said he looked at alternate sites for a loading dock. The easterly side of the property borders vegetated wetlands. The southern portion of the site would work as a parking lot to allow trucks to use the South Street driveway to back into the two loading docks.

An area of asphalt and gravel would be excavated. It would be replaced with loam and seed to compensate for the work at the loading dock area. Marquedant said there would be “no net increase in impervious area.”

“There’s a lot going on in this site,” said chair Melissa Recos. “More than I envisioned.”

Several issues were called out in the peer review. There needed to be a narrative, said wetlands consultant Joe Orzel. Utilities and proposed electric vehicle charging stations needed to be noted on the plan, as well as a snow storage area and stormwater management systems.

Co-vice chair Matthew Moyen said that the applicant should take this opportunity to make more of the parking areas impervious during site redevelopment. This would be in keeping with the commission’s objectives.

DPW shares plan for townwide maintenance notification

Kerry Reed, the Department of Public Works director, shared information about a townwide maintenance plan that would include commission outreach for areas bordering its jurisdiction.

Tighe & Bond project manager Maria Johnsenberg presented highlights from a 120-page document. She noted that this notice of intent hearing was advised by the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) rather than a request for determination of applicability. The town previously used an RDA, but it recently expired.

The NOI was chosen in order to streamline the process and the impact on town funds, she added.

“Generally speaking, the Wetlands Protection Act and the wetlands bylaw allow regular maintenance and repair activities,” Johnsenberg said, “particularly when they are in the buffer zone and within upland portions of riverfront area.”

Some maintenance activities that are “typically considered pretty minor” include repairing stone walls, removing of safety hazards and mowing preexisting lawns.

The NOI requests the ability to perform more extensive work, particularly in land subject to flooding, she added. Maintaining unpaved access ways and roadside vegetation fall under the request to perform work in no-disturb and no-build zones.

“This is focused on replacing in-kind and developing a notification procedure so that the commission is aware of what we’re doing and you have a chance to make comments,” explained Reed.

The hearing was continued in a 4-0 vote because the file had not yet received a DEP number.

North Mill Street home moves closer to vote

After some discussion, a hearing regarding the potential development of a home at 12 North Mill Street with associated soil testing was continued to allow for plan edits.

This proposal has been before the commission for numerous meetings over the past several months due to incomplete documentation. It is the second one that developer Lou Petrozzi has pursued for this project.

The proposed installation of a drinking water well drew concern previously by the Conservation Commission and the Board of Health.

Petrozzi said several of Orzel’s comments did not require more information from him. He noted that a comment about documenting invasive species is irrelevant because they are being removed during construction.

He also called the need to document what a proposed ditch looks like as “infantile.”

Recos said proposed and existing conditions need to be documented on the plans.

“I don’t want to keep drawing this out either,” she added, noting that the commission likely will vote on it at its next meeting.

Berry Acres trail parking area proposal gets feedback

The commission informally discussed a proposal for an improved parking area that would provide access to the Berry Acres trail system with its proponent.

Sean Kimball, a Trails Committee member, has spearheaded efforts to improve trail access to the Berry Acres Conservation Area. He brought forward a plan to revamp a small parking area that is “not really formalized” off Main Street at the entrance to the Berry Acres trail system.

“What we want to do is to encourage more use of the Berry Acres trail system,” he explained.

Stone dust would be used to resurface and expand the parking area so that it can accommodate at least four cars. The driveway there would be evened out.

Kimball said he believed the commission had jurisdiction over this area because of its proximity to wetlands, which Recos confirmed. He sought its guidance.

Recos noted the traffic there. She said it could be hazardous for cars trying to back out onto West Main Street when they discover that the lot is full. One concern she raised was that cars could “creep” into the wetlands, causing encroachment damage.

She suggested scheduling a site walk where commissioners could also test out the logistics of turning cars around in the parking area.

Co-vice chair Ted Barker-Hook said he was “worried” about the parking area’s close proximity to “a pretty extensive wetlands system.” While he said he is a big supporter of the Trails Committee’s work, he expressed concern about gas and oil leaking into the wetlands.

Walter Garland suggested potentially creating a parking area off of Whalen Road. He said the site near the Chamberlain Road cul-de-sac that he had in mind would not attract vehicular traffic heading to Ice House Pond.

Kimball noted that the Trails Committee had not looked at any alternate sites. He did not seem optimistic about the area Garland proposed.

“I do think there’s a right solution here,” he added.