Committee approves special permit for five‑unit townhouses at 36 Jefferson Street, refers final language to solicitor

The Urban Affairs Committee voted in committee Sept. 29 to approve a special permit for 36 Jefferson Street allowing the addition of four townhouse units to an existing single‑family home for a total of five residential units.

Attorney Brian Falk, representing 36 Jefferson Street LLC, told the committee the project—called Greenway Overlook Residences—will add four townhouses and provide individual garage parking and a total of 18 parking spaces on site. "We're adding 4 new townhouse units to the existing single family for a total of 5 units at the property," Falk said.

City staff and department heads had no fundamental objections but asked for clarifying conditions. The chair read management comments noting the building commissioner’s request for language confirming compliance with the city’s height and stories requirements and the city engineer’s endorsement of the proposed redline revisions. The decision the committee reviewed requires detailed site plan review by the site plan review committee prior to issuance of a building permit and lists outstanding items to be resolved during that review, including fire access behind the building, confirmation of fire suppression sprinklers in all dwellings (including the existing house), drainage improvements and additional landscaping along the Assabet River Rail Trail.

Committee discussion centered on pedestrian access to the adjacent rail trail and operational details such as dumpster placement and parking counts. Members agreed to change the draft condition to limit trail access language to "resident access" so the path would serve occupants of the site rather than the general public. The committee also asked that dumpster areas be covered and maintained and that pickup hours be limited to mitigate noise and rodent concerns.

Councilor Doucette moved to approve the special permit as amended; the committee recorded an in‑committee affirmative count and asked the solicitor to draft the permit in final form before the item is reported to the full city council for a formal vote.