Conservation Commission Approves WESX Site Subdivision

The Marblehead Conservation Commission granted special permits Thursday night to Symes Associates, allowing the construction of seven new homes and a new street in a subdivision on the old WESX radio station land at the north end of town. 

Each of the permits carried 44 special conditions imposed on the subdivision construction by the town and the state Department of Environmental Protection to prevent erosion from the land into the waterways and contamination with toxic chemicals on the property.

William Lanphear, the town's engineering and conservation administrator, praised the commission Chairman Walter Haug for "the hundreds of hours" he has spent on these permits: working with Symes and its engineering team to win approval of the subdivision. "He has worked very, very hard," Lanphear said.

The Planning Board, which has already will meet next week to decide if it will grant special permits for the other three homes and the new Mound Road to be built at Naugus Avenue and Intervale Road.

In the largely built-out town, a new subdivision has drawn a lot of community attention and scrutiny from the town's commissions. A handful of neighbors, who have attended the several board and commission meetings on the project, sat quietly through the late meeting. No one publicly opposed the commission's actions.

Jeff Rhuda, business development manager for Symes, predicted recently that once his company, one of the largest builders in the state, finishes constructing the houses, "the neighbors will be happier."

The plan is to tear down the dilapidated WESX station building and the signal tower that stands on the property.

For Symes, a Beverly real estate developer, the Marblehead project is small compared to other projects it has done around the state, Rhuda said. It is the company's first project in Marblehead.

The seven houses, once approved, will be 2,000 to 3,000 square feet in size.  They will range in price from $600,000 to $900,000. Sales will be handled by Jack Attridge with the William Raveis real estate firm.

Rhuda said once the permits are granted, the road and three of the houses would be started immediately. Depending on how quickly those houses are sold, the others would be built, he said. He expects the entire project to be completed in 18 months.

The drainage system and the new street will be handed over to two new homeowners associations for maintenance.  Landers Symes, representing Symes Associates, told the Conservation Commission members that funds for the maintenance of the drainage system and the street would be raised from each home sale and turned over to the new homeowners associations.  

The special conditions were approved to regulate construction practices, such as not allowing trucks to be washed on the property and where workers can walk on the protected areas of the property.  Other conditions included a mutual agreement that only organic fertilizers would be used on the property and all pre-treated wood used would be arsenic free.  The permits also governed plantings allowed in the No Disturb areas of the property.

The town has a history with the property. It proposed to buy the land from Mercury Partners for $1 million with plans to leave it as open space. But that offer was rejected. Symes bought the property for $50,000 more.