265R Elm St; 277R Elm St; 281 Elm St; 287 Elm St; 287R Elm St; 287.5 Elm St - Notice of Intent

What is proposed

The Rocky Hill MBTA Community is a residential development proposed for six Elm Street parcels (265, 277, 281, 287 and 287½ Elm Street). The project footprint is concentrated on roughly 32.6 acres of upland within a ~65.6‑acre site. The design shows two neighborhoods with a total of 379 housing units: a South Neighborhood of 83 for‑sale units (a mix of single‑family, duplex, triplex and quad‑plex buildings) and a North Neighborhood of 296 units in 29 multi‑unit buildings. Ten percent of the units are designated as affordable housing. The plan includes community buildings, greens, pocket parks, a swimming pool and other resident amenities, walking trails with public trail parking, and preserved open space around wetlands and stream corridors.

Where and how big

The site lies northeast of Elm Street, west of I‑95 and south of I‑495 and comprises six assessor parcels totaling about 65.6 acres. Existing conditions include two dwellings on Elm Street, agricultural fields, forested uplands and several wetlands crossed by two unnamed tributary streams that flow southwest toward the PowWow River. The development is concentrated on the upland portion (about 32.6 acres) while a significant portion of the overall site remains in natural or restored condition; the applicant proposes deed restrictions to protect wetlands, streams and other sensitive areas.

Wetlands, buffers, and regulatory context

The NOI addresses work within the City’s 100‑foot Buffer Zone, the local 50‑ and 25‑foot buffers to BVW, and the 200‑foot Riverfront Area associated with the onsite streams. Two Orders of Resource Area Delineation (ORADs) for the site (August 7, 2023 and March 18, 2024) are referenced in the filing. The NOI narrative reports Riverfront Area impacts as follows: approximately 32,874 sq ft of permanent RFA impacts, 26,537 sq ft of temporary RFA impacts, and 35,317 sq ft of RFA restoration, with a reported net RFA impact of about 24,094 sq ft after restoration. The submission also reports about 31,076 sq ft of temporary impacts in the 25‑foot buffer and approximately 1,150 sq ft of permanent 25‑foot buffer impact associated with a drainage outfall; temporary impacts are shown to be restored in place after construction.

Stormwater and erosion control

Civil and stormwater engineering documents show a multi‑component stormwater system sized to meet Massachusetts Stormwater Management Standards and Amesbury local standards. The system includes deep‑sump/hooded catch basins for pretreatment, Contech® CDS water‑quality units, bioswales/constructed stormwater wetlands, surface and subsurface infiltration basins (including StormTech isolator rows), detention basins, level spreaders and rip‑rap outfalls. The submitted stormwater calculations are sized to the 100‑year storm. Reported design metrics in the engineering materials indicate the project provides substantially more groundwater recharge than required (example figures in the stormwater report show a required recharge on the order of 26,000–27,000 cubic feet and design recharge provided on the order of tens of thousands of cubic feet); treatment trains are shown to meet or exceed local TSS and phosphorus removal targets (documents cite ~80–85% TSS removal for several treatment trains). A Long‑Term Operation & Maintenance plan has been submitted with inspection and maintenance schedules (catch basins inspected/cleaned at least annually; detention basins inspected twice per year; infiltration chambers inspected after major storms in the first four months and then twice yearly) and owner responsibility identified.

Site layout, parking and access

Plans show a primary access from Elm Street with an internal network of compact neighborhood roads (labeled Road A–D), sidewalks, planted medians and a roundabout that separates the two neighborhoods. Parking is provided via surface lots, parking courts and parking barns; a dedicated visitor/trail parking area is shown near a trailhead to provide public access to the site trails. The site plan set includes detailed grading, utility and curb details and shows retaining an existing historic house near Elm Street.

Invasive species, restoration and landscape work

An Invasive Species Management Plan (ISMP, June 19, 2026) identifies target invasive species on the site (glossy/european buckthorn; Tatarian and Morrow’s honeysuckle; Japanese barberry; Japanese knotweed; Oriental bittersweet). The ISMP sets out species‑specific control options (mechanical removal, cut‑stump and basal bark herbicide techniques where appropriate), disposal guidance (do not compost seed/fruiting material; bagging and landfill or incineration recommended), revegetation approaches and multi‑season monitoring during and after construction. Landscape plans and the NOI show restoration plantings, constructed wetland seeding and new meadow/pollinator areas; the application documents a restoration area of about 8,780 sq ft in the RFA tied to mitigation for non‑conforming work in the riverfront.

Status

The Notice of Intent and multiple supplemental technical reports (site plans, stormwater reports, ISMP, and O&M materials) are in the Conservation Commission record and under review. Submitted engineering documents include plan revisions dated through December 22, 2025 (site plans) and stormwater / O&M material revised in 2026. No final Order of Conditions or Commission decision is included in the provided materials.