The long-discussed four-lot subdivision at 145 Washington Street moved toward finality Monday night, but not before the Planning Board handed ultimate authority over the project’s underground infrastructure to the Department of Public Works. The 12-acre development, proposed by the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Boston, triggered a technical debate regarding whether plastic or concrete piping should be buried beneath the new roadway.

Eric Shoemaker of McKenzie Engineering Group presented a revised plan set dated October 14, 2025, which included a new catch basin on the driveway of lot six and a planting table featuring 15 new trees. However, the proposal to use High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) plastic piping instead of Reinforced Concrete Pipe (RCP) met resistance from the board. Shoemaker argued for the flexibility of plastic, stating, I generally provide HDPE where I can; it's easier to construct and I haven't seen issues with durability. He noted that the plastic pipes would be buried at a shallow depth of approximately 1.5 feet, meeting manufacturer specifications.

Technical concerns regarding the long-term maintenance costs for the town took center stage. One board member, citing experience with pipe inspections, cautioned that plastic can deflect or fail more easily than concrete when buried at such shallow depths. If you're going that shallow, maybe a foot and a half with cover, I recommend concrete, the member noted, adding that if the town eventually accepts the road, any repairs to failed joints or crushed pipes would become a public expense. The repair cost would be the same because the cost is in digging the road up, not the material.

Chair Andrew Wandell sought a resolution that would allow the project to move forward without bypassing the expertise of town road crews. I'd like to get this finished tonight. I'd like to do it pending approval by the DPW, Wandell said. We're going to amend that waiver to say 'pending DPW approval of use of that pipe' or 'the pipe to be chosen by DPW.' Peer review consultant Deb Keller confirmed the applicant had addressed other outstanding engineering issues, noting, At this point, I think it's pretty clean.

Motion Made by A. Wandell to grant the waivers requested on the cover page of the drawings by McKenzie Engineering Group, dated June 16, 2025, revised September 22, 2025, and October 14, 2025, as amended tonight to be subject to the approval of the DPW regarding the pipe material. Motion Passed (7-0-0). To allow for the complexities of the project, the board also extended the standard timeline for completion. Motion Made by [Board Member] to extend condition number 22 from 2 years to 3 years. Motion Passed (7-0-0). With the technical conditions settled, the board finalized the application. Motion Made by [Board Member] to accept the list of final conditions of approval. Motion Passed (7-0-0).

The board also held an informal discussion regarding a significant facelift for the "Firehouse" gas station at 154 Center Street. Brandon Barry of Merrill Engineering detailed a plan to construct a new 2,300-square-foot building behind the current structure, which would allow the station to remain operational during construction. The proposal includes expanding the garage from two bays to three and, notably, removing the exterior vehicle lift that has long been a point of discussion in the town center. The owners want to construct a new building... behind the old one, Barry explained, adding that the new layout would improve setbacks and include nine striped parking spaces.

One board member characterized the removal of the outdoor equipment as a major win for the neighborhood, asking, And they wouldn't have that problematic lift outside anymore? That's a marked improvement. While the existing fuel pumps and canopy will remain in their current non-conforming locations for now, Barry noted that a "phase two" might eventually address those elements. Chair Wandell encouraged the applicant to return with a formal site plan, noting the board would be happy to entertain the proposal.

In other business, the board addressed a residential division on Barker Street. Motion Made by [Board Member] to sign off on the ANR lots for 59 Barker Street, Pembroke. Motion Passed (7-0-0). The move creates two legal lots, one for an existing home and one for a new residential build, both of which meet the town's frontage requirements.