Conservation Commission approves Draw 7 Park amendment, adds stormwater condition

Conservation · Meeting of February 3, 2026

Somerville's Conservation Commission approved changes to the Draw 7 Park redevelopment order of conditions, separating it from the Mystic River Pedestrian Bridge project. The commission voted 4-0 on February 3 to accept four amendments from Weston and Sampson consultants Devin Herrick and Amanda Gall, acting on behalf of the Department of Conservation and Recreation: removing a bridge landing plaza from the park's scope, reducing a pedestrian overlook near the Amelia Earhart Dam, adding one parking space for dam staff at a cost of 100 square feet of new impervious area, and creating a 1,048-square-foot gravel MBTA access area at the park's entrance. Total impact to the buffer zone stays at 137,337 square feet.

Commissioner Newton Tedder's motion added a special condition requiring two new drainage manholes to meet Massachusetts Stormwater Handbook deep-sump and hood standards before the bridge team connects its stormwater pipe to the park system.

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Source: the Conservation meeting of February 3, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.