Flooded Parking Lot Mitigation Discussed

Representatives of Brixmor Property Group, who owns the plaza at 101 Middlesex Turnpike, appeared before the Conservation Commission on March 28 to present their plan for addressing the flooded parking lot on their property.

The parking lot, near Wendy's, has been subject to nuisance flooding for years, but recently the water has not receded, creating a nice habitat for mother geese and their goslings but also a safety hazard for the public. The property group has appeared multiple times before the Board of Health in the last couple of years, and they're in the process of creating a plan that will hopefully fix the situation.

The engineer who presented the plan and Conservation Commission Chair, Larry Cohen, disagreed on the source of the rise in the water table over the years. The engineer blames the turning off of the Vine Brook pumps now that the town no longer uses this as a drinking water source, while Cohen asserts that rapid development—including adding impervious sources and removing vegetation, which takes up water—is the cause. It's possible both are factors, but the explanation matters little as the flooded parking lot, regardless of its cause, isn't going away.

Conservation Commissioner Sarah Wolinski wondered, as many Burlington residents likely have, why the affected parking spaces can't just be removed and green space added in that area, as the space has been unneeded for years. Representatives from Brixmor stated there will be some new businesses (including at least one restaurant) moving into the complex, and that they believe the parking will be necessary. Furthermore, the property is already under the number of parking spaces required by the zoning bylaws for such a development.

Mitigation attempts for the flooded parking lot are ongoing; in the fall, property owners paid to have the drainage pipes cleaned out—a lengthy and involved process that involved removing the water and fish (including a protected species known as the Bridle Shiner) from the area, removing any blockages, and replacing the water. This process didn't result in the reduction of flooding, and the group was forced to go back to the drawing board.

The current plan involves raising the elevation of the parking lot by 18 inches and digging a swale to compensate for that rise in elevation, as required by law. There was some conversation about the best way to do this in order to maintain the integrity of Vine Brook and protect the Bridle Shiner fish. This plan will also need to account for improvements to the riverfront, including adding plantings to replace the trees they'd need to removed to accomplish this increase in elevation.

The plan is far from set in stone, as it will need to go before the Planning Board for a "minor engineering change," and the Board of Health will provide feedback, as well. Expect to hear more about this topic in the coming months.