After the Procopio Companies submitted amended plans, the Planning Board’s Aug. 14 agenda included a discussion of whether the changes would be considered major or minor changes. Committee members in attendance – Chair Jeanne Paquin, Harry Hibbard, Nathan Peyton and Cindy Borges – unanimously agreed that the changes outlined by Adam Brodsky, the developer’s attorney, constituted a major change. A public hearing on the proposed changes is scheduled for Wednesday, Aug. 28, at 8 p.m. at Memorial School.
Click here to view all plans and updates submitted by the developer
Brodsky said the changes are “a direct result of comments we received during the Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act (MEPA) process to improve the site’s water supply and climate resilience. They will not significantly change the density, number of housing units, parking or architecture.”
Covered beach path proposed
The new plans also call for “creating a covered, beach-like boardwalk along Nantasket Avenue with stairs and handicap-accessible ramps; raising all but one commercial space and the pool deck to create additional pathways for water to pass under the building; making changes to the stormwater management system; and moving the building back slightly,” Brodsky said.
One of the commercial spaces will not be raised due to its proximity to the beer garden, as the elevation would decouple it from the public area.
“Procopio has taken all the comments to heart,” Brodsky said. “These are not half measures, but thoughtful design changes.”
Plans to improve the project’s flood resilience were recently presented to the Design Review Board and last week to the Conservation Commission, according to Brodsky.
Original special permit is
“Although this is a new review process, it does not clear the entire project (for further review),” said Chris DiIorio, director of community development and planning. “The original special permit (for a four-story, 132-unit building at the Paragon Boardwalk site) is still valid.”
The Planning Board’s approval of the Paragon Dunes plans on March 20 was subject to conditions, including the approval of all relevant state agencies. The plans were reviewed by the board on April 3 and approved on April 10.
Procopio withdrew from the Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act (MEPA) review process on June 3 and plans to resubmit its environmental notification form to address the state’s flood resilience concerns.
The idea behind the changes is to better meet MEPA’s wishes while maintaining the commercial areas along the street that were included in the Planning Authority’s original approval.
At the end of the discussion, Chair Jeanne Paquin asked Brodsky to provide the Board with a list of proposed changes before the August 28 hearing.
She also requested that a landscape architect review the new plans, which she said was “critical” to determine whether the plantings were “best suited to this site.”
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