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Section 2 Tighe&Bond SECTION 2 PERMIT APPLICATION NARRATIVE SPECIAL PERMIT A PPLICATION NARRATIVE SECTION 2 i Site History The Village at Hospital Hill is a joint public-private redevelopment project, which has resulted from years of effort by the Commonwealth, the City of Northampton, elected officials, advocates, and concerned citizens, to provide a forward-looking, economically viable use of the core campus of the former Northampton State Hospital (NSH), situated on a prominent hilltop west of downtown Northampton, Massachusetts. The concept of a planned village program, as presented in the Master Plan for the NSH site, was adopted by the City of Northampton in 1993 and provided a vision for the development of the site. Within this overall program evaluation of alternatives focused on potential impacts, and ways to minimize or mitigate them. The alternatives fa ll into the following categories: Historic. Opportunities to reuse existing structures that have been identified as contributing to the National Historic Register designation of NSH. Traffic. Opportunities to minimize and mitigate traffic impacts. Ways to minimize vehicular trips to the site, and minimize impacts on neighborhoods of increased traffic. Wetlands. Avoidance of wetland resources identified on the site and compliance with state and local wetland protection laws and regulations. Site Layout. Interior layout and circulation routing on the site, to maintain the campus-like character of the setting and to create a harmonious, well -planned community of residential, retail, and commercial components. Purpose of Special Permit Application The proposed project involves the redevelopment of a portion of the former NSH, which now includes approximately 50 buildings on 124 acres of land on both sides of Prince Street (Route 66). The City had created a specific zoning district, named the Planned Village (PV), to accommodate a development to include a combination of commercial, industrial and residential uses to create a village-like or campus community. This Planned Village development, that incorporates these uses, requires the granting of a Special Permit from the Planning Board. The total Planned Village build-out includes approximately 476,000 s.f. of mixed-use commercial space, comprising a mix of retail, office, light industrial, and research & development/multimedia space as well as space for live -work studios, a child care center, a possible community center/museum area and the development of a 60-80 unit assisted living facility for seniors. The Planned Village will also include 207 residential units, 100 of which would be single-family homes and 107 of which would be mixed- SPECIAL PERMIT APPLICATION NARRATIVE SECTION 2 ii income rental housing. Fifty percent of the residential units will be designated as affordable. Massachusetts Environmental Protection Act The redevelopment of the Northampton State Hospital will have impacts to infrastructure and environmental resources within and surrounding the site for which Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act (MEPA)-established mandatory review thresholds are exceeded. As such, the project is obligated to undergo MEPA review and approval. In response to an Environmental Notification Form (ENF) noticed in the Environmental Monitor on October 24, 2001, the Secretary of the Executive Office of Environmental Affairs issued an ENF Certificate on November 30, 2001 requiring preparation of Environmental Impact Report (EIR) for this project. The ENF Certificate also established a special Review Procedure permitting preparation of a Phase I Report that would be considered “tantamount to a single EIR” for the Phase I development, with subsequent filing of draft and final EIR’s that evaluate cumulative impacts of full site buildout. Under the Special Review Procedure, the Phase I Report was prepared with input from various City departments, the Mayor and other officials, and a Citizen’s Advisory Committee. On April 30, 2002, a Phase I Report was submitted in response to the Secretary’s Certificate establishing the Special Review Procedure and the Scope for the EIR. It follows the outline established by MEPA regulations for EIRs. Section 3.01 of the Phase I Report presents a detailed description of the project, focusing on Phase I but also describing the Full Build at a master planning level of detail. Sections 4.0 through 7.0 of the Phase I Report address, respectively, transportation and air quality, historic resources, water supply and wastewater, and wetlands, wildlife and stormwater. Section 8.0 of the Phase I Report is a presentation of mitigation measures for Phase I impacts, as developed by Sections 3.0 through 7.0. Section 9.0 of the Phase I Report presents all comments filed on the ENF and responses to those comments. The Phase I Report was noticed in the Environmental Monitor on May 8, 2002 and on June 14, 2002 the Secretary issued a Certificate on the Phase I Report stating that the project adequate ly and properly complies with the MEPA and its implementing regulations. Phase I Development In view of the size and complexity of the site, the Planned Village will be constructed in phases over a period of years. In developing the Master Plan for the Planned Village, the ratio of commercial to residential space received considerable attention, and this ratio has remained unchanged since. Phase timing will be market-driven and timing of individual components within each phase cannot necessarily be projected in SPECIAL PERMIT APPLICATION NARRATIVE SECTION 2 iii advance. The Phase I development is being advanced at this point in order to move the project from its long period of gestation and study into tangible progress while planning and environmental analysis of the potential impacts of full build-out proceed. More specifically, a large manufacturer recently expressed interest in locating its operations at this site, including a building with approximately 100,000 square feet gross floor area. The manufacturer will provide significant tax revenue and employment in the City. Development of a portion of the site to accommodate the proposed manufacturing facility cannot occur without granting of the Special Permit from the Planning Board as previously described. The Phase I development is comprised of up to 109 dwelling units and up to 152,000 square feet (s.f.) of commercial space which includes the proposed 100,000-square -foot manufacturing facility. The Special Permit Application depicts sufficient land in Phase 1 to develop up to 187,000 square feet of commercial space, however only 152,000 square feet will be developed. Inclusion of more commercial land will simply allow flexibility in marketing commercial development sites. Summary of Mitigation A brief summary of proposed mitigation for the Phase I component of the Northampton State Hospital Redevelopment is provided below. The April 30, 2002 Phase I Report is included herein by reference, and provides a detailed accounting of proposed mitigation measures. For reference, Section 4.5 (Transportation Mitigation) is reprinted in the Appendices. Transportation A traffic analysis has been prepared for Phase I redevelopment, in compliance with the ENF Scope and the guidelines set forth by the Executive Office of Environmental Affairs/Executive Office of Transportation and Construction (EOEA/EOTC) for preparation of a Traffic Impact Assessment. Existing conditions were developed, based upon a program of traffic counts. Existing safety problems were evaluated by comparing accident rates against statewide averages. A future No-Build condition (2006) was established by increasing the Existing Condition by other known projects “in the pipeline,” and adding a background growth rate. Trips generated by Phase I development were added to the future No-Build, so tha t the future Build and No-Build conditions might be compared. The analysis identifies a number of mitigation measures that address traffic and safety needs that exist independent of Phase I redevelopment, as well as those measures required to offset impacts of added Phase I traffic. These measures include safety improvements for the intersection of Earle Street at Grove Street and Texas Road; SPECIAL PERMIT APPLICATION NARRATIVE SECTION 2 iv pedestrian and bicycle enhancements along the Route 10 corridor including sidewalk improvements and extensions, bike lanes, and pedestrian crossings; traffic signal timing/phasing enhancements; construction of a new sidewalk along Earle Street from Grove Street to Route 66; and provision of design for a new signal at Earle Street at Route 10. MassDevelopment and the City will jointly seek state funding for installation of the signal at Earle Street; MassDevelopment will also monitor traffic and safety characteristics of this intersection during Phase I redevelopment to provide additional supporting data to MassHighway for review purposes. MassDevelopment, working in collaboration with The Community Builders, is further committed to implementing a comprehensive Traffic Demand Management (TDM) program to manage and minimize traffic generation from the site, and encourage carpooling, walking, bike use and mass transit by residents, tenants, employers, and visitors of the Phase I redevelopment. Air Quality An air quality analysis determined that emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOC) and oxides of nitrogen (Nox) in the study area increase slightly for the Build condition as compared to the No-Build condition. Consequently, pursuant to the State Implementation Plan under the federal Clean Air Act as amended, the proponent is required to implement a TDM plan to minimize traffic increases. Historic Resources The Phase I Report proposes the retention and reuse of six historic buildings, including the South Employees’ Home, which was originally slated for demolition in the Master Plan and ENF. However, accommodating the proposed 100,000-square -foot manufacturing facility will necessitate demolition of the former laundry building, which was previously anticipated for retention and reuse. Phase I also calls for the demolition of eleven other buildings, nine of which are historic. These buildings include the Power Plant, 10 and 12 Chapel Street, Memorial Complex Building C, and the Ox Barn, all discussed above, as well as four wood frame buildings presented in the Master Plan and ENF. The proponent undertook an analysis of stab ilizing the former Main Building complex (referred to as “Old Main”) as part of the Phase I analysis. Section 5.4 of the Phase 1 Report relates the findings of that analysis; MassDevelopment has decided to defer any expenditure on interim stabilization until the results of a study of building renovation feasibility and cost, and the updated market study are available (expected in the summer of 2002). MassDevelopment will proceed, for public safety reasons, to fence off the SPECIAL PERMIT APPLICATION NARRATIVE SECTION 2 v porte-cochere at the central entrance of Old Main and the Dining Hall addition to Three North. Water and Sewer As set forth in the ENF, Northampton’s water supply and wastewater treatment capacity are sufficient to accommodate the needs of both Phase I and the Full-Build. All plumbing fixtures will be low-flow, in compliance with the State Building Code. The only issue identified in the Scope for analysis is the capacity of water and sewer mains to convey water supply to the site and wastewater from the site. An engineering analysis has been conducted of the capacity of water and sewer mains. It has been found that existing water mains are adequate to serve both Phase I and Full- Build needs, including fire flow requirements. Sewer main capacity exists to convey wastewater generated by Phase I; capacity to serve the Full-Build will be further evaluated for the EIR. Wetlands The NSH campus has been inspected for wetlands, as well as the area between the site and Route 10 to the south. One on-site resource area has been flagged, and two off-site wetlands, of which one is south of Grove Street and one is between Earle Street and the Mill River. Phase I is not expected to alter any wetland resource area, with the possible exception of Riverfront Area (for improvements to Earle and Grove Street) during Phase I. A Request for Determination of Applicability was filed on July 3, 2002 to secure Conservation Commission review of the wetland boundaries, and any Notice of Intent required for Phase I will be filed as design proceeds. Wetlands on the Ice Pond site have been delineated by TCB, and site planning and Conservation Commission approvals for development of single-family homes on the site will proceed separately. No issues with respect to the Ice Pond were raised in the comments or the MEPA Scope. Stormwater A conceptual stormwater design has been prepared for the NSH campus. It complies with the Massachusetts Stormwater Management Policy. Five detention basins are proposed, three on the north campus (north of Route 66) and two on the south campus (south of Route 66). The design of the basins will meet two critical standards: prevention of an increase in the peak rate of runoff, and removal of 80 percent of total suspended solids from stormwater. Since the site at present has no stormwater SPECIAL PERMIT APPLICATION NARRATIVE SECTION 2 vi detention or treatment facilities, the proposed design should significantly improve runoff water quality. Master Plan Revisions The revised Master Plan provided in Appendix F, and particularly the revised Phase I Development generally demonstrate a reconfiguration of proposed buildings as necessary to address the revised Ridge Street roadway location, to incorporate initial comments provided by the Northampton Planning and Development Director, and to accommodate the proposed industrial development along Earle Street. The proposed development south of Route 66 has been primarily revised due to the elimination of the proposed roadway entrance of Ridge Street from Grove Street. The section of the Ridge Street roadway was eliminated due to topographic constra ints and the presence of a wetland resource area. The location of the wetland, the elimination of the roadway in this area, and the proposed 100,000-square-foot manufacturing facility, as previously noted, have also dictated the elimination of the 14,000 sf industrial building proposed to be located at this area; however, the elimination of the building and roadway in this area has increased the buffer to the residential area of Laurel Street and Grove Street. The square footage of development proposed south of Route 66 remains essentially the same (321,000 sf was previously identified; 326,000 sf is currently identified). Previously, 71,000 sf were identified for industrial use within four new buildings and the reuse of the existing power plant building. The requirements for the Industrial development (80,000 sf industrial, 20,000 sf office) have effectively consolidated the industrial development to one building and require removal of the former laundry and power plant buildings. The residential development remains consistent with the original Master Plan. The following table depicts the proposed industrial, office, mixed use, and retail uses of the original Master Plan and the Conceptual Amended Master Plan: SPECIAL PERMIT APPLICATION NARRATIVE SECTION 2 vii Proposed Use Original Master Plan 1.1 CONCEPTUAL AMENDED Master Plan Industrial ±71,000 sf ±80,000 sf Office ±195,000 sf ±191,000 sf Mixed Use ±44,000 sf ±44,000 sf Retail ±11,000 sf ±11,000 sf The development proposed north of Route 66 remains consistent with the original Master Plan, and has incorporated minor modifications to the roadway geometry to address conformance to the subdivision regulations, as well as the depiction of a boulevard entrance in an effort to incorporate existing mature trees to the entry landscape. J:\N\N0481\Permits \Special Permit\Narrative RevisedEKM.doc