Last week members of the Plymouth Board of Public Works and Safety considered the request of Dean Byers from Habitat for Humanity and local architect Brent Martin to waive the financial guarantee for a project on West Garro Street.
Martin said Habitat is requesting a waiver of the financial guarantee for the storm drainage improvement for a Habitat project on Garro Street. To educate everyone on the project, Habitat acquired a parcel of land that has now been subdivided for four homes. He said, “They are not Habitat Homes, although Habitat is the sponsor for the project.” Martin said the homes will be similar to the ones on Harrison Street that were built in the early 2000’s.
There is a long story on this land with the storm drainage. The land was surveyed and the surveyor located two storm drains immediately west of the property. The design phase was started to hook up to the storm sewer system using those two manholes. It was then determined those were old, tiny, private drains probably put in by the railroad. The actual city storm drain is a bit further to the west of the property and is shallower than the ones done by the railroad. Martin said because of the shallowness there is a loss for capacity.
Martin said they had three options, come to the city and beg to waive the requirements and allow a smaller basin, or ask the utility superintendent to have a larger outlet from their basin or thirdly, the path they chose, to ask the adjoining southern property owner to consider donating a strip of land between the two properties and he agreed.
Byers said the bond required by the city for the proposed work is not something that non-profits are not able to obtain. The total amount of work is estimated to be about $9,700.
City Attorney Sean Surrisi had prepared a memorandum of understanding to be sure the improvements are completed. He indicated the city had done similar agreement with the schools in the past.
The Plymouth Board of Public Works and Safety unanimously approved waiver of the financial guarantee.
