Chatham Selectmen Support Plan for New Senior Center

CHATHAM – Selectmen in Chatham are supporting a plan for a new senior center on Middle Road.

The board unanimously voted to recommend a town meeting article that would authorize the project which is expected to cost up to $6.5 million.

The vote of support followed a short presentation of revised plans from architect Joel Bargmann.

“We are coming to the conclusion that the site option where the building is located closer to Middle Road is the preferred option,” Bargmann said.

That option is preferred because it keeps construction closer to the roadway and outside of a 100-foot wetland buffer zone.

“The site and the grading is outside of the 100-foot buffer which means it is a non-jurisdictional change to the [property,]” Bargmann said.

“We are looking at even bringing the grading a little bit tighter into the road.”

Keeping the construction outside of the 100-foot buffer area would prevent the project from requiring a review by the Conservation Commission.

Area residents had expressed concerns regarding poor drainage at the site. Project surveys determined there was no evidence of drainage problems.

Plan revisions also made slight modifications to the size of the proposed center. It reduced square footage from 10,200 to 10,150 square feet.

The project will head to Town Meeting on May 13.