Life Safety - The traffic study submitted by the developer confirms that the sight distance at the intersection of the proposed drive and School Street fails to meet, not only local standards, but also national standards (AASHTO). The link below is the Comprehensive Permit Application, and includes the results of the traffic study in Appendix K. Furthermore, this traffic study was undertaken east of Piper Road, resulting in calculations of vehicle number and speed which do not accurately reflect those at the project site. The Acton Police Department set a speed trailer to capture data on vehicles traveling eastbound on School Street September 27-29, 2019. The data show that 85% of vehicles travel at 35 mph or more in this 25 mph zone; the highest recorded speed was 49 mph. The applicant's traffic engineer used an 85th percentile speed of 32 mph to calculate required sight distances. Furthermore, AASHTO standards assume a clear sky and wet pavement. Not taken into account are common conditions which impede visibility - sun glare on this east/west street, heavy rain or snow falling, slushy/snowy pavement, vision changes and increased reaction times due to aging. Acton Police also submitted 10 years of crash data from #1-125 School Street (a .6 mile stretch of road). The number of crashes on the .3 mile serpentine section of School Street near the Piper Road intersection is TWICE the number of crashes on the relatively straight .3 mile stretch to the east. Adding an additional 200+ vehicles exiting/entering School Street at this location (28x higher than the current traffic volume) will only exacerbate the danger. The distance of the proposed intersection to the adjacent intersection is 18% of Acton's required 1000 feet for a Collector Street (>2000 vehicles/day). School Street recorded traffic volume is between 5600-5800 vehicles/day. The proposed roadway is more than TWICE Acton's single maximum allowed single access road length of 500 feet, and provides only one way in/out.
http://doc.acton-ma.gov/dsweb/Get/Document-67614/Piper%20Lane%2040B%20Application.pdf
Public Health - The project site was used as an apple orchard in the late 1800s-mid-1900s when lead arsenate was used as a pesticide. A very limited soil analysis (10 samples for a 6.5 acre site) confirmed significant levels of both LEAD and/or ARSENIC in all samples. One sample had levels of lead 4x the EPA reportable limit and arsenic 18x the EPA reportable limit. These toxins can cause severe neurological and physical development, cancer and even death. The plans require the excavation and removal of 12,000 cubic yards of soil. Fugitive dusts created on a construction site can carry lead and arsenic, and the risk to residents (especially children), workers, and pets is great. The data can be seen in the link below.
http://doc.acton-ma.gov/dsweb/Get/Document-69536/Enstrat%20LSE%20Report%209_24_2019.pdf
Protecting the Natural Environment - The planned stormwater management system for the site is a Constructed Wetland. It requires excavation of the existing hillside to reach the water table, and would result in a discharge of TWICE the current water volume to the wetlands and adjacent vernal pool. Acton's Conservation Commission has ordered an independent Peer Review of the applicant's claims on the potential impact of the Constructed Wetland. Currently, the site is 96% forest. The project plans would result in a reduction of the forest to a mere 17% following the clear-cutting of several acres of trees. The impervious surfaces would DOUBLE from the current .09 acres to 1.78 acres. The proposal creates a risk for contamination of the groundwater from pollutants (road salt, oil/grease, fertilizers, pesticides, metals), in addition to the lead and arsenic, changes to the water table, and an increased risk of flooding to adjacent properties.
Historic District Integrity - Acton's Historic District Commission is concerned with the administration of the Local Historic District Bylaw, promoting the preservation and protection of the distinctive characteristics and architecture of buildings and places significant in the history of the Town of Acton, the maintenance and improvement of their settings and the encouragement of new building designs compatible with the historically significant architecture existing in the Local Historic Districts. Their comments on this proposed project can be found at the following link.
http://doc.acton-ma.gov/dsweb/Get/Document-67816/HDC%20Comments.pdf
Conserving Green Space - The Great Hill Conservation and Recreation Area is a heavily used and regionally important green space, and represents a significant taxpayer investment which should not be deliberately diminished. The proposed project site is located in the southeastern corner, and protection of this particular parcel has, for quite some time, been a prime focus of Acton's Open Space Committee and the Acton Conservation Trust. Their comments on the initial proposal made to the town can be found at the link below.
http://doc.acton-ma.gov/dsweb/Get/Document-65545/Open%20Space%20Committee.pdf
http://doc.acton-ma.gov/dsweb/Get/Document-65444/Acton%20Conservation%20Trust.pdf
Additionally, the Acton Dog Park Committee and Land Stewardship Committee also submitted comments on the original proposal. You can read those comments at the links below.
http://doc.acton-ma.gov/dsweb/Get/Document-65498/Dog%20Park%20Committe.pdf
http://doc.acton-ma.gov/dsweb/Get/Document-65560/Land%20Stewardship%20Committee.pdf
Project Design - Acton's Design Review Board acts in an advisory capacity to town staff and officials regarding the design of proposed developments. Members have expertise in architecture, civil engineering, real estate, landscape architecture and design, planning, construction, land use law, etc. Their comments on this proposed project can be found at the link below.
http://doc.acton-ma.gov/dsweb/Get/Document-67893/Piper%20Lane%20Condominium%20-%20DRB%2005-01-2019%20Review%20-revised.pdf
http://doc.acton-ma.gov/dsweb/Get/Document-67614/Piper%20Lane%2040B%20Application.pdf
Public Health - The project site was used as an apple orchard in the late 1800s-mid-1900s when lead arsenate was used as a pesticide. A very limited soil analysis (10 samples for a 6.5 acre site) confirmed significant levels of both LEAD and/or ARSENIC in all samples. One sample had levels of lead 4x the EPA reportable limit and arsenic 18x the EPA reportable limit. These toxins can cause severe neurological and physical development, cancer and even death. The plans require the excavation and removal of 12,000 cubic yards of soil. Fugitive dusts created on a construction site can carry lead and arsenic, and the risk to residents (especially children), workers, and pets is great. The data can be seen in the link below.
http://doc.acton-ma.gov/dsweb/Get/Document-69536/Enstrat%20LSE%20Report%209_24_2019.pdf
Protecting the Natural Environment - The planned stormwater management system for the site is a Constructed Wetland. It requires excavation of the existing hillside to reach the water table, and would result in a discharge of TWICE the current water volume to the wetlands and adjacent vernal pool. Acton's Conservation Commission has ordered an independent Peer Review of the applicant's claims on the potential impact of the Constructed Wetland. Currently, the site is 96% forest. The project plans would result in a reduction of the forest to a mere 17% following the clear-cutting of several acres of trees. The impervious surfaces would DOUBLE from the current .09 acres to 1.78 acres. The proposal creates a risk for contamination of the groundwater from pollutants (road salt, oil/grease, fertilizers, pesticides, metals), in addition to the lead and arsenic, changes to the water table, and an increased risk of flooding to adjacent properties.
Historic District Integrity - Acton's Historic District Commission is concerned with the administration of the Local Historic District Bylaw, promoting the preservation and protection of the distinctive characteristics and architecture of buildings and places significant in the history of the Town of Acton, the maintenance and improvement of their settings and the encouragement of new building designs compatible with the historically significant architecture existing in the Local Historic Districts. Their comments on this proposed project can be found at the following link.
http://doc.acton-ma.gov/dsweb/Get/Document-67816/HDC%20Comments.pdf
Conserving Green Space - The Great Hill Conservation and Recreation Area is a heavily used and regionally important green space, and represents a significant taxpayer investment which should not be deliberately diminished. The proposed project site is located in the southeastern corner, and protection of this particular parcel has, for quite some time, been a prime focus of Acton's Open Space Committee and the Acton Conservation Trust. Their comments on the initial proposal made to the town can be found at the link below.
http://doc.acton-ma.gov/dsweb/Get/Document-65545/Open%20Space%20Committee.pdf
http://doc.acton-ma.gov/dsweb/Get/Document-65444/Acton%20Conservation%20Trust.pdf
Additionally, the Acton Dog Park Committee and Land Stewardship Committee also submitted comments on the original proposal. You can read those comments at the links below.
http://doc.acton-ma.gov/dsweb/Get/Document-65498/Dog%20Park%20Committe.pdf
http://doc.acton-ma.gov/dsweb/Get/Document-65560/Land%20Stewardship%20Committee.pdf
Project Design - Acton's Design Review Board acts in an advisory capacity to town staff and officials regarding the design of proposed developments. Members have expertise in architecture, civil engineering, real estate, landscape architecture and design, planning, construction, land use law, etc. Their comments on this proposed project can be found at the link below.
http://doc.acton-ma.gov/dsweb/Get/Document-67893/Piper%20Lane%20Condominium%20-%20DRB%2005-01-2019%20Review%20-revised.pdf