Medford Conservation Commission Approves Arlington Street Two-Unit Project With Four Conditions

MEDFORD — January 19, 2022 — Medford Conservation Commission approves two-unit Arlington Street dwelling with four perpetual conditions tied to trees and stormwater. The commission voted unanimously Wednesday to issue an order of conditions for Robert DePesa's proposal to demolish a single-family structure and build a new attached two-unit dwelling at 32 Arlington Street, within the 200-foot riverfront area of the Mystic River. Four special conditions were added beyond standard language: replacement of a hazardous front street tree with two native trees (anticipated three-inch caliper maples) straddling the property line, long-term maintenance of pervious pavers and subsurface infiltration systems by the condominium association "in perpetuity" and explicitly surviving any future certificate of compliance, installation of pavers per product specifications, and — responding to public comment from neighbor Sarah Cohen of 42 Arlington Street questioning the independence of a private arborist's removal recommendation — a requirement that the city's tree warden concur with the removal opinion before work proceeds. The commission also continued a separate certificate of compliance request for 19 Winford Way to February, still awaiting documentation from the project consultant.