20191211_Response to DPW Comments.pdf
53 Southampton Road • Westfield, MA 01085-5308 • Tel 413.562.1600
www.tighebond.com
N-0936-016
December 11, 2019
David Veleta, PE
City Engineer
Department of Public Works
125 Locust Street
Northampton MA, 01060
Re: Fire Rescue Headquarters Parking Lot Improvement Project
Site Plan Review Application – Response to DPW Comments
Dear David:
On behalf of the City of Northampton Central Services Department (“the Applicant”), Tighe &
Bond has reviewed your comments on the November 12, 2019 submittal of the Fire Rescue
Headquarters Parking Lot Site Plans received via email on December 6, 2019 and on
December 9, 2019. We have prepared the following responses and clarifications to address
the questions raised. The comment is presented in italicized font followed by the response.
The questions and comments from December 6, 2019 follow:
1. From notes of the meeting on May 31, 2019, it was indicated that a small portion of
the stormwater basin will extend over the property line. The current plan shows a
dashed, north-south line approximately 75 feet east of the western boundary line.
What is this line? Does it define a separate parcel? Is there any remaining issue here
with property encroachment?
At the May 31 meeting, we discussed the Carlon Drive right-of-way line in relation to
the stormwater basin. The line shown on the draft plan at that meeting was a GIS
based assessors’ line. We reviewed the recorded definitive subdivision plan and the
Fire Station design plans and were able to correct the location of the Carlon Drive
right-of-way to where it is shown on the current drawings. The proposed basin is no
longer in the right-of-way.
The dashed north-south line on the plan shows the limit of a drainage easement which
was granted from the developer (Pelops Realty Trust) to the “Carlon Drive Owner’s
Association” for the purpose of maintaining and repairing the stormwater drainage
system installed as part of the original development. Our proposed work on the
underlying City land will not interfere with this right and therefore should not be a
property encroachment issue.
2. Is the existing diesel tank proposed to be relocated or is a new tank proposed? In
either case, I assume that electrical and possibly communications feeds will be needed
for the new location. Any removal and/or capping of existing underground utilities and
installation of new ones should be shown on sheets 3 and 5, respectively.
The existing diesel tank was recently resealed and upgraded with new controls. It will
be relocated to the proposed location. There are no record plans showing existing
power feed to the tank. We will confirm the power requirements for the tank and
provide a conduit to the proposed location. We will also condition that any existing
utilities servicing the tank location be properly abandoned and capped.
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3. Will the proposed solar canopy over the fueling station be required to incorporate fire
suppression? If the solar developer indicates that the solar canopy is not feasible over
the fueling station will a separate canopy over the fueling station be proposed?
The canopy is proposed over the fueling station to satisfy stormwater
requirements. The fueling station is not considered a “self-serve” station as it is not
open to the public. No fire suppression system is planned for this location.
If canopy solar over the fuel tank is not feasible, we will recommend that the solar RFP
include a clause requiring the solar developer to provide a standalone canopy meeting
the stormwater requirements.
4. Will the solar canopy contract be coordinated with or assigned to the parking lot
reconstruction project so that necessary solar foundations are installed in conjunction
with the parking lot work?
It is the intent of Central Services to coordinate the two contracts with construction
for both occurring in the Spring/Summer of 2020.
The questions and comments from December 9, 2019 follow:
1. The City does not allow plastic fencing for tree protection and requires a closed cell
foam wrap around the truck. A copy of the City standard tree protection detail is
attached for your use.
The City’s standard detail for tree protection has been included in the drawings.
2. Please provide some detail on the proposed traffic pattern through the site. Will fire
trucks be fueling on the driver side? If so, this appears to create a lane direction
conflict. Will there be any pavement markings to guide traffic flow?
Vehicles will be allowed to fuel in either direction depending on the location of the fuel
tank. For some vehicles, this will create the referenced lane direction conflict. The
conflict will be short-term in nature (only for the length of time needed to refuel the
truck) and will generally occur during low turnover periods in the parking lot (during a
shift). The driveway includes a 12-foot minimum asphalt pavement area beyond the
concrete fueling island to allow for vehicles to maneuver around a truck in the fueling
position.
Directional arrows have been added to the layout to provide additional guidance in the
lot.
3. Please indicate the location and extents of ADA curb cuts at the van accessible spaces.
The Pedestrian Access Route (PAR) is provided by a concrete sidewalk section set flush
with the diagonal hatched pavement area. The new concrete walk area ties into the
existing ADA ramp for the original ADA parking.
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4. Carolyn expressed a concern about pedestrian safe passage from the parking lot to
the building. Has a sidewalk across the reconfigured green belt island with accessible
ramps in the cutouts and at the drive crossing toward King Street been considered?
Extending the sidewalk along the green belt area was considered earlier in design,
however we decided to leave it as lawn area rather than add a cement concrete
sidewalk.
As stated in response to Carolyn’s comment, it is our opinion that the parking lot is
primarily an employee lot and that there are no existing pedestrian safety concerns
from the Fire Department. To expand on that comment, the main vehicle movements
occur during shift change at the fire station. Staff arrives in their vehicles, parks, and
enters the building. Once the next shift has arrived, the previous shift will leave the
building, enter their vehicles, and depart. The nature of the fire department operations
(continuous staffing of the station) results in minimum motor vehicle and pedestrian
interactions in the parking lot.
5. All proposed signage should have a vertical clearance of 7' 0" to the bottom of the
panel per MUTCD standards. The detail indicates 60" to the panel centerline.
The detail has been revised to comply with MUTCD standards.
6. Please show abandoned and proposed electrical feed locations for the EV station.
Abandoned and proposed feeds for the EV station have been added to the drawings.
7. How will the solar panels affect drainage? Are they mounted on a roof system or are
they independent? If independent and oriented to the south, will they drain on the
cars?
The solar panels will not affect the drainage design for the parking lot. The panels will
be installed over the impervious pavement area and will replicate the runoff
characteristics of the underlying pavement. The solar RFP will require the racking
system to have an integral drainage system to prevent the panels from draining on
the vehicles regardless of final configuration/orientation. Runoff from the drainage
system will be directed to the same stormwater area as the underlying pavement area
was originally directed to through the parking lot grading.
If you have additional questions or would like to discuss any of our responses, please contact
me at (413) 572-3279 or ZPChornyak@tighebond.com.
Very truly yours,
TIGHE & BOND, INC.
Alex Fagnand, PE, ENV SP
Project Engineer
Copy: David Pomerantz, City of Northampton
J:\N\N0936 Northampton DPW\16 - Fire Station Parking Lot and Solar\Permitting\SPR\Comment
Response\20191211_Response to DPW Comments.docx