SAUGUS — The Planning Board is considering a proposal to turn the former Pranker Mills property into a 22-unit apartment building, and discussed the possibility at its second meeting on Thursday.
Representatives of 180 Central Development, LLC appeared before the Planning Board on Jan. 20, seeking a site-plan review permit for an apartment building to be constructed on the Central Street property. The apartment building would have 10 one-bedroom apartments and 12 two-bedroom apartments. Engineer Rich Williams said the footprint of the historic mills building would remain intact.
As the property sits in a flood zone of the Saugus River, Williams explained in January, that the intent is to put pervious pavement in the back parking lot closest to the river, in the event that water backs up and flows onto the property.
“However, we have done some work in the engineering, the parking (and are) addressing some of the concerns of the board, as well as of the neighbors,” said Williams.
Parking and flooding were two major issues that were raised by the board. Town Manager Scott Crabtree advised the Planning Board to require 180 Central Development, LLC to submit a comprehensive parking plan, noting it could become problematic if the parking lot floods and tenants need to find another spot for their vehicles.
Representatives from 180 Central Development, LLC were unable to provide a formal parking plan at the Thursday meeting. Multiple plans were not submitted due to ongoing work and the recent inclement weather, according to Nelson Chang, who represented the petitioners.
Town Engineer Todd Baldwin said he needs to review the “water and sewage” at the site.
“We need to go over what was happening in the past,” he said. “We need to go over that before I can advise the board.”
Director of Planning and Economic Development Christopher Reilly was also concerned about parking. He said the parking plan that the engineer presented was unconventional but functional, stressing it is critical that more space is allocated to parking on the property.
“There can’t be off-street parking because that won’t fly with the neighborhood,” Reilly said in January.
Williams displayed the new plans which showed an increase in the amount of parking.
Saugus resident Jim Hart raised concerns about a dumpster on the Pranker Mills property that was leaking materials into the Saugus River in January. He also was concerned over potential accidents that could occur with cars exiting the apartment complex onto Central Street, due to how fast cars travel down the road. At both meetings Hart requested a traffic report.
Williams responded that flow from the dumpster wouldn’t travel farther than the pavement. In terms of vehicle safety, he stressed there are good sightlines in both directions at the January meeting. Still, in response, Williams moved the trash inside in the latest plans for the building.
The Planning Board voted, 3-0, to continue the public hearing until its next meeting on Feb. 17.
