Peabody board seeks to block access road

PEABODY – School Committee members have long expressed concern over safety and traffic dangers in regards to a recent housing development adjacent to Peabody High School. However, with the unanimous passing of two motions Tuesday night, their worries are sure to be put to rest.Committee member Beverley Ann Griffin Dunne raised the issue of a fire access road that was built off the high school’s driveway potentially being used in the future as yet another way for residents of 501, 501, and 505 Lowell Street to access their homes.”It’s very dangerous,” she told her fellow board members. “It’s a safety concern.”The road was built by developer Joseph Pelich, who has left his mark in Peabody many times in the past, with the intent of emergency access use only. However, Dunne pointed out advertisements for the development that prove otherwise.”He’s advertising it as an (access road),”she said. “And he was wrong in doing that.”Committee member Dave McGeney shared the same presumptions.”There’s no question that the sale of those homes are more marketable if they can access them (by the school driveway),” he said, adding that he, too, gets the impression that Pelich has made it so potential buyers aren’t limited to the narrow, steep hill that is truly their road.Mayor Michael Bonfanti, who happened to have spoken with Pelich earlier in the day, said that a permanent fence will be put up so as to deny any access to and from that development via the high school’s driveway.”They’re very well aware,” he said. “They won’t get an occupancy permit until they do.”According to Bonfanti, there’s currently a gate blocking the roadway, but an iron fence will be put up sooner rather than later.”We’ve had problems with that developer in the past, so that’s why we’ve been on him,” he said. “We put a cease and assist (order) on him one time.”Bonfanti did say that Pelich’s been very cooperative with the city in terms of this particular development and has no doubt in his mind that Pelich will put up the fence as promised.But, just to make sure there’s no leeway for future use, the committee voted unanimously to have City Solicitor John Christopher look into the proper terminology that would prohibit any such access whatsoever.And, said Dunne, if Pelich fails to comply in due time, “(the School Committee) will put a guard rail in place.””We have to respect the boundaries of the school,” she said.