SPRINGFIELD – The Planning Board gave preliminary approval Wednesday to a controversial 50-home Wendover Road subdivision, but urged the developer to keep in close contact with neighbors who aired concerns about drastic changes they expect.
Developer Thomas Bretta purchased 18 acres at 90 Wendover Road from the Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield in May for $1 million. Bretta plans to build a subdivision in an area home now to small trees and brush.
His engineer, Robert Levesque, unveiled the preliminary plan to the board. It shows one entrance off Wendover Road that will link to three new streets, each ending in a cul-de-sac.
In total there will be 50 lots ranging in size from 7,500 square feet to nearly one acre.
In a preliminary estimate, Bretta said he expects to sell the homes for $500,000 to $600,000 and hopes to begin construction late this year or early in 2027.
“This is very early in the steps,” Planning Board Chairman Leo Florian said. “There is a whole lot of work to be done but we are getting a little glance of what the project will look like.”
The board approved the preliminary plan in a 6-0 vote. The next move will be for Bretta to return with a definitive site plan that shows far more information, such as utility placement, storm water drainage and road and sidewalk details, Florian said.
The subdivision will be constructed between Island Pond and Wendover roads and Amanda Street. It is across the street from Pope Francis High School and will abut the Mary Dryden elementary school.
Neighborhood concerns
About 20 neighbors attended the meeting. Few spoke against it. They instead asked the developer to work with them on issues such as traffic, leaving a tree buffer between homes and preventing water and sewer problems in the neighborhood.
The property is zoned for single-family homes, so it is difficult to block the project completely. In addition, the Conservation Commission has already ruled there are no wetlands on or near the property that could constrain development.
After the purchase, new City Councilor Gerry Martin proposed having the city purchase the property by eminent domain. That was shot down by the city’s law department, which ruled the idea would put the city in legal jeopardy.
“A big development like this seriously affects the quality of life and impacts the three roads,” said Francis Ryan, referring to Overlook Drive and Surrey and Wendover roads.
He estimated the development would bring an additional 150 cars to the neighborhood.
Michael Carvalho also aired concerns about additional traffic, adding the city recently put in stop signs at Wendover and Surrey to address the growing number of cars traveling through the area.
“There seem to be challenges and safety concerns when traveling by foot or by car,” he said. “I think this development could make this more dangerous at least during peak traffic times.”
Bethany Romano, president of the East Forest Park Neighborhood Council, said neighbors have aired concerns about losing trees that serve as buffers to homes. She said the neighborhood will look much different if the property is clear cut.
The 2011 Springfield tornado, which directly hit the property, knocked down most of the mature trees at 90 Wendover Road, as well as destroying what was formerly Cathedral High School. Most of what is located on the property is brush and small trees, Levesque said.
“A lot of the trees that we have in the central portion of the property are basically secondary successional species,” he said. “A lot of that area will be cleared for the development.”
But Levesque said street trees will also be planted with the development.
Planning Board members encouraged Bretta to work with the neighbors now and during the project.
Bretta has already spoken with some abutters individually and in small groups, but is expected to meet with the East Forest Park Neighborhood Council in March. In addition, he talked to the neighbors who attended the Planning Board after the preliminary plan was approved.
Planning Board member Rosemary Morin recommended that Bretta and Levesque bring more detailed information to the March meeting, citing many concerns about trees.
