SAUGUS — The Zoning Board of Appeals revisited possible apartment plans for 961 and 999 Broadway Thursday night, with residents taking the podium once again to speak against the construction.
A member of the Malden Anglers, Gene Jeffrey, was the first to speak during the meeting, immediately stating that the club was in complete objection to the project. The member brought a photo showing off the current view of the project site, which can be seen from their clubhouse.
“The real issue for us is the wall that they’re going to build on that slope, which will require a slope variance,” he said.
Jeffrey continued to explain that the wall would affect the water level, fishing, and view of the pond the club currently has.
“We use it (the pond) for a variety of things aside from just the fishing. We are a site for Project Healing Waters where we have…veterans of all types come to meetings of their own using our clubhouse two nights a month,” he said.
The site provides a peaceful place for the veterans to sit and enjoy a bit of nature along with the plus of fishing. Jeffrey said he believes that the building of the wall would be a disruption.
“That entire wall will have to come down. I think that road should be put on their project site rather than going over the hill,” he said. “We’ve asked for views from the developer from our site so we can have an idea of what’s going on, but we haven’t received those yet.”
Thomas Lew, vice president of the Malden Anglers, spoke after Jeffrey, also expressing his concerns about the wall.
“How can we look at a 35 ft. retaining wall and expect or pretend for us to be in the woods of Maine or stuff like that? The fish that we’re fishing for are also stocked. The membership actually pays money to put these fish into the pond,” Lew said.
He explained the way the club continues to support the community, including programs for kids.
“We are desperately concerned that this endeavor is going to affect this not only by reducing the scenic beauty that is Malden Anglers but also potentially corrupting our pond,” he said.
He explained that the fish in the pond, trout, are difficult fish to keep, and any change in the habitat can be detrimental to their health. The group hopes to see information on the site view and research on how this project could lead to issues in the pond.
A Forest Street resident who is not a member of the Malden Anglers also spoke on how the construction could pollute the pond, mentioning the storm that occurred on Mother’s Day and how that could lead to problems with the terrain.
“And like you said, when it’s gone, it’s gone, and there goes paradise,” she said.
Lynne Sweet of LDS Consulting Group is the applicant’s 40 B consultant. She walked to the podium to address the concerned residents who spoke before her.
“I think we had a fairly successful site walk last Saturday…We are very much like everyone else looking forward to seeing the and reviewing the peer review studies,” she said.
Sweet continued that the group had received a letter from the Saugus Police Department with suggested conditions, and the developer, Sal Palumbo, is open to having those be conditions of a decision should it be the will of the board.
“We have made arrangements for the peer reviewers to go out to the site and see for themselves what the site looks like; they haven’t been able to make it up until this point,” she said.
Sweet said they hear what the anglers are saying, and they have begun working on renderings and plans that will have distances. The group is hoping to provide information on the retaining wall to help calm down some of the concerns. They also hope the attorneys and peer reviewers will be at the next meeting.
Former Selectman Robert Long also spoke at the meeting, as he did back in January. “I’m just wondering, I look at those retention walls and the height, and I’m wondering where that information is coming from,” Long said.
He continued that in the write-up that was given to the board and some audience members, it said that the Board of Appeals has the right to request training and technical assistance. “Do you have technical assistance representing the Town?”
Chairman Thomas Traverse confirmed that a 40 B consultant was named, though he could not remember her name at the time.
Multiple other residents spoke at the meeting, pushing the concert of parking, the cutting down of trees, and the shadow caused by the building.
Sweet answered as many questions as she could for the worried residents, and more answers will be provided when peer reviews are in progress.
