200 Pond Road senior living project team gives Wellesley its pitch

The Wellesley Planning Board this week heard a pitch from the project team seeking to build a 130-unit assisted living and memory care facility at the top of Pond Road on the Natick/Wellesley line (the agenda item lasted about 90 minutes, as seen in the Wellesley Media recording). The 130,000 sq. ft. facility itself would be built on Natick property, but in addition to getting approvals from Natick, the team would need to get Wellesley’s blessing for a zoning amendment because the address and driveway are here.

The Planning board presentation was simply that, a presentation, with no vote by the board. It’s possible the team could return at a later date for a public hearing in a bid to get on the Wellesley Special Town Meeting warrant.

The project team positions 200 Pond Road as meeting demand for assisted living and memory care units both by older area residents and younger ones who want to have their parents live nearby. The team says that the project will have additional bonuses for the communities, including at least 3.5 acres of land put under a conservation restriction. What’s more, proponents of 200 Pond Road point to job opportunities for locals and revenue benefits for the town, including from taxes. They’ve made changes to the plan to focus development on the area where a mansion currently sits or where land has already been disrupted, and where previously there was to be some parking on Wellesley property, there no longer is.

Also specific to Wellesley, the project team would also seek to purchase electricity via the Municipal Light Plant.

In April, the proponents pulled back on a Natick Spring Annual Town Meeting citizen petition for a zoning change that could pave the way for the facility after facing many questions from Natick officials and the public. With the deadline coming up fast for articles on Natick’s Fall Annual Town Meeting warrant, it looks like the 200 Pond Road team will need to again submit a citizen petition if they want the project to get consideration in October.

Following the project team’s presentation to the Wellesley Planning Board this week, board members asked questions and members of the public made comments.

Planning’s questions focused on areas such as traffic (390 daily trips are estimated under a preliminary assessment on behalf of the project team), a proposed widening of the driveway by 9 feet, and who would handle emergency calls (mainly Natick, since the facility would be located there, according to the project team rep).

Peter Dagostino from the 200 Pond Road group outlined traffic mitigation plans—including driveway design, signage, and requirements for vendors—designed to contain most traffic to Rte. 135 rather than Pond Road and Rte. 16.

Neighbors, many of whom have spoken up during Natick proceedings as well, cited reasons that they think the facility doesn’t belong in this residential zoned neighborhood on a scenic road. Their concerns include the view of the building that people will have from Pond Road (it is proposed to be 38 feet high vs. 35 ft. for the existing home), the introduction of a big business into a residential neighborhood, and environmental impact.

Pond Road has been undergoing some big changes since the pandemic started, when public access to the Lake Waban path was shut off (Wellesley College thankfully reopened its portion in 2021), and when plans began for the building of two large homes that now sit close to the road at the top of Pond Road adjacent to where the senior living facility would be located.

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