What's the Latest on the Proposed DPW Facility?

Last week committee representatives appeared before the Wayland Board of Selectmen to explain where they are in the process of answering several lingering questions about a new Department of Public Works facility on River Road.

In April, an Annual Town Meeting Warrant article seeking funds to construct the new facility on River Road failed to pass by a handful of votes. The questions raised during the ATM debate have been the focus of fervent efforts since then, Board of Public Works member Jon Mishara told Patch. Mishara is also the BoPW representative to the Permanent Municipal Building Committee for the duration of the new DPW facility project.

"There were some outstanding issues raised at the April town meeting, and we've been working since that time to deal with those issues," Mishara said. 

In particular, three major questions emerged: 
- What would be the impact, both environmentally and on possible historical artifacts, of the access road from Route 20 to the River Road facility?
- Is it feasible to build the new facility on Route 20, at a site proposed for a new housing development?
- What about the methane readings found at the nearby capped landfill?

Conservation Issues

At Monday's Board of Selectmen meeting, Conservation Commission Chair Andy Irwin explained that the ConCom had recently received the packet of information related to the road, which has been redirected slightly from the April Town Meeting version to avoid a possible artifact issue. The ConCom expects to hold a public hearing on Aug. 29 and, pending that discussion, issue conditions of approval soon after that.

"In broad speak, I think we have most of what we would need," Irwin said. "We've gone through this a number of times as far as what the scope is for mitigation. We had the informal discussion, which did lead to some design changes. There's been a responsiveness from the design team to comments made."

In addition, an archaeological study is currently being done and the state's Natural Heritage and Endangered Species program will also issue a finding.

"We're really trying to get all this stuff on the fast track with the anticipation that we'll be going to a fall town meeting," Mishara told Patch. Selectmen have not yet officially called a fall town meeting, but have had several discussions about it and indicated one is likely.

Route 20 Site

When it comes to the question of whether the facility is better suited for the Route 20 site, Mishara said it had certainly been part of this summer's 
discussions even though it was considered as an option in 2012 along with the River Road site and the site of the current garage on Main Street.

"We looked at that," Mishara said. "We're trying to be as complete and open-minded as possible. Based on our analysis, it would cost approximately $2.8 million in additional funds to site the new DPW facility on the Route 20 site. Quite frankly, that's probably very much on the low side.

"If the town has trouble swallowing $11.8 million, they're going to have a really hard time with $14 to $15 million."

Methane Issue

At the Aug. 12 Board of Selectmen meeting, Mishara explained to selectmen that steps were being taken to respond to resident concerns about methane readings in the area of the proposed River Road site.

Mishara explained that all of the methane readings occurred at the site of the landfill, not the River Road site. A mitigation plan has been filed with the state Department of Environmental Protections that would redirect the methane from traveling to the River Road site. 

Mishara said the methane mitigation plan appears to be on track to approval.

Next Steps

Mishara said the BoPW remains strongly behind the construction of a new facility, but is also working to answer the questions that came up at Town Meeting.

"We obviously are disappointed that it didn't pass by those 10 votes at the April Town Meeting, but we're just putting one foot in front of the other to get [voters] that information," Mishara said. "The Board of Public Works strongly believes that this is a very needed facility."