The Northborough Fire Station Building Committee voted April 16 to accept Amendment 9, authorizing additional survey, redesign and permitting work after the Massachusetts Department of Transportation asked that the project’s stormwater outlet be routed to a catch basin on the west side of the site and ultimately to Cold Harbor Brook.

The amendment covers survey work north of West Main Street, hydrologic boundary and wetland delineation across the street, redesign of the stormwater calculations and plan updates, and continued permitting with MassDOT and the Town’s Conservation Commission (ConCom). Committee members were told PAR has already performed field survey and has begun redesign documentation; the amendment separates the hours already completed from the remaining not-to-exceed fee for the additional services.

Committee members discussed why MassDOT requested relocating the outlet. Project staff said MassDOT reviewers had concerns about the initial routing — which routed water across and around the site — and required a layout that, among other changes, brings runoff to daylight at the edge of the site and into the catch basin that flows to Cold Harbor Brook. The committee was told that some of the new work applies to wetlands across West Main Street, not to the project parcel itself, and that a wetland delineation and a Notice of Intent to the ConCom will be required.

Project representatives emphasized the redesign work was started early so the team could meet MassDOT’s review schedule and incorporate required scope into bid documents. Committee members asked whether the redesign could change the contract timing or require construction before approvals; staff said construction of drainage components would not begin before permits are in hand and that change orders for the contractor would be expected later if the contractor must perform the additional work in the field.

The committee approved Amendment 9 by motion. The amendment’s not-to-exceed fee was described at the meeting as broken into discrete pieces for the stormwater redesign, wetland/hydrologic work and permitting, and staff said the redesign hours already completed are included in the total fee rather than added on top. Specific dollar amounts for Amendment 9 were not specified in the meeting materials presented at the committee meeting.

Committee members asked whether MassDOT could require further changes after this submission; project staff said additional review comments are possible but that the team had made repeated efforts to get MassDOT’s concerns addressed and expected cooperation.

Votes at the meeting recorded the motion to approve Amendment 9 as approved; no roll-call tally was provided in the public transcript.

The committee’s next steps include receiving PAR’s final survey drawings, completing the wetland delineation and filing the Notice of Intent with the Conservation Commission, and continuing coordination with MassDOT so the stormwater revisions can be included in bid documents.