Revised plans for a proposed 90-unit congregate care housing complex off North Avenue will go to a public hearing Tuesday night before the Haverhill City Council.
The Haverhill Conservation Commission has lifted its objections to a special permit application from developer Continental Wingate Development Co. over concerns for wetland protections, storm water management and abutter landscape screening.
In a Nov. 14 letter, city Environmental Health Technician Robert E. Moore Jr. said the commission held a “productive” meeting with company representatives, “outlining plan revisions that have been made and additional measures that will be taken to address the commission’s concerns. The commission noted the applicant is actively working to address those concerns and trusts it will continue to do so through the anticipated Notice of Intent review process with the Commission.”
As previously reported by WHAV, the commission in late October forwarded an unfavorable recommendation, expressing concern the project would cause “significant encroachment upon a 25 foot no disturbance zone, which protects the site’s wetland resource areas, for installation of storm water management areas and abutter landscape screening.” Commissioners also said excavations would potentially have negative effects on the wetlands, while “the project does not propose any mitigation for these impacts.”
An application for a special permit from Continental Wingate Development Company of Needham seeks to build a two-story complex with a total 90 units for either assisted living, supported independent living or memory care units. The complex would be built on approximately eight acres of land owned by the McGirr Family Trust.
The company is affiliated with Wingate Health which locally owns skilled nursing homes Wingate at Haverhill, 190 North Ave., and Wingate at Andover, 80 Andover St., Andover. The company is operated by Scott and Gerald Schuster.
The Haverhill City Council meets at 7 p.m., Tuesday, in council chambers at Haverhill City Hall.