Proposed day resource center at Gold and Sargent Streets continued as staff reviews floodplain and stormwater plans

WORCESTER — Resource Center Worcester LLC asked the Conservation Commission Sept. 29 to allow exterior renovations at 134 Gold Street and to convert 5 Sargent Street into parking to support a proposed day resource center for people experiencing homelessness. The commission continued the item pending further review.

Paul Kanapic of BSC Group presented the notice of intent and said the site is within 100 feet of a catch basin that discharges to a resource area and overlaps bordering land subject to flooding (BLSF). He said earlier submissions had misidentified the flood elevation and that the team revised calculations to use an elevation of 450.4 feet (the city’s preliminary boundary) for compensatory storage. Kanapic said the revised materials were provided to staff earlier the same day.

Commission staff said they had not completed a full review but that a preliminary look suggested the compensatory storage calculations likely meet the BLSF performance standard. Staff requested additional details, including whether a proposed pavilion in the parking area would permit flood flows to pass through and how dumpsters would be secured so they cannot float away in a flood. The applicant said the pavilion is likely to be open (allowing flow) and agreed to provide specific details.

Because the project is still awaiting a DEP file number and further staff comment, the commission continued the hearing to the next meeting and asked staff to provide written comments to the applicant in the coming week. The applicant reiterated that construction inlets will be protected, perimeter erosion controls will be installed, and street sweeping and other sediment controls will be used during construction.

The commission did not vote on the project at the Sept. 29 meeting.