The new owner of the Poor Farm property at 166 Littleton Road has asked the Conservation Commission whether it would consider waiving a wetlands regulation to preserve the historic house at the corner of Littleton and Pinnacle roads. The town could also potentially gain a dozen or more acres of conservation land.
The request was made at the commission’s Sept. 7 meeting by Peito Deng of Yyts Inc., who purchased the land and building from the Municipal Affordable Housing Trust in June for $888,888. Deng has since drawn up plans to build four homes on the 29-acre property, three along Pinnacle Road and a fourth on Littleton Road, while leaving in place and renovating the 11-bedroom 1868 Poor Farm house to accommodate three rental units.
The problem is that the southernmost lot on Pinnacle Road, as proposed, would not meet the requirements under the zoning bylaw for buildable land, explained Neil Gorman of David E. Ross Associates, who represented Deng at the meeting. To comply with the town’s standard, said Ross, the developer would need to demolish the Poor Farm house and adjust the boundaries of all five lots in order for the project to be financially viable.
“Mr. Deng would really like to keep [the Poor Farm house] as it is,” Gorman said. “It’s a 100-year-old dwelling and has really good bones.” Ross engineer Dan Wolfe, who was also at the meeting, said that with a waiver to allow the boundary of the problematic lot to be less than 75 feet from wetlands, the project could proceed as conceived. The house on that lot, he said, could be built more than 75 feet from wetland “to make [the Conservation Commission] happy.”
Commission member Wendy Sisson said the commission had written its regulations to allow for waivers “if we felt it was for the overall good of the project.” She wondered if the developer would be open to placing a conservation restriction on two parcels on the property totaling approximately 12 acres, as well as a pond behind the Poor Farm.
“What you’re suggesting is absolutely possible,” replied Wolfe, as Deng nodded in agreement. Wolfe asked whether the commission would entertain a donation of one or both parcels to the town. “I’d entertain all of that,” especially if it included public access, replied Sisson, although the other four commissioners remained silent.
It’s now up to Deng and his consultants to prepare a proposal for the commission’s consideration. “I think we’re onto something here,” said Wolfe.
