ZBA approves Walnut Heritage Trust parking plan, requires runoff plan

The Gardner City Zoning Board of Appeals voted unanimously April 22 to approve a revised parking plan and special‑permit amendment for Walnut Heritage Trust, which seeks to convert a two‑story wing at 63 Walnut Street into residential units and add parking.

John Gersten Lauer, the applicant’s representative, told the board the revised site plan reduces impervious surface on the 1940s property, will re‑asphalt portions and replace other paved areas with pervious materials such as geogrid and crushed stone, and proposes 10 total parking spaces for eight rental units (seven one‑bedroom units, one two‑bedroom unit and one accessible space). “So to summarize, what we were asking for now is the approval of this parking plan for the 8 rental units … total of 10 spaces,” Gersten Lauer said.

Board members questioned drainage along a five‑foot swale at the west side of the lot and whether snow storage would interfere with parking. Gersten Lauer said he would install a riprap or crushed‑stone swale if that portion of the site is on his property and would seek neighbor permission if needed. Chair Ray Lafond asked that the final swale design be submitted to the building inspector prior to any construction; Gersten Lauer agreed.

Member [Committee member] moved to approve the parking plan, noting that the radius and clearances on the revised plan addressed the board’s earlier concerns; another member seconded the motion. The board approved the plan and permit amendment with the condition that the petitioner submit final water/runoff (swale) plans to the building commissioner before construction starts.

The condition was read into the record as a requirement to provide the plan for the building commissioner’s review and to ensure the swale retains runoff on the property. The board also noted the applicant has a phase‑1 permit for interior work (fire protection and electrical roughing), but the new external work must comply with the submitted site plan and the building commissioner’s approval.

The approval resolves the board’s outstanding concerns about parking layout and impervious‑area mitigation; construction is expected to move forward after the petitioner furnishes the required drainage plans.