Wayland MassWorks Grant Will Aid River's Edge Development

WAYLAND, MA — Wayland was one of a handful of communities this week to get a MassWorks infrastructure grant, and will use the $2.2 million to upgrade the town's wastewater system.

Wayland's grant will allow the town to connect the planned River's Edge apartment development to the main town wastewater system, avoiding the construction of a separate wastewater facility.

River's Edge will be a 218-unit residential development along Route 20 at the site of the former town dump. The project has been in the planning stages for years, and hit a snag in 2018 when asbestos was found at the proposed site.

The development will be about 25 percent affordable, allowing Wayland to reach the 10 percent affordable housing threshold under the 40B law. Without River's Edge, Wayland might be in danger of triggering a 40B clause that allows developers to bypass local zoning for affordable housing projects.

While making the sewer connection for River's Edge, Wayland will also be able to increase discharge capacity at the wastewater treatment plant. The town has a permit to discharge about 52,000 gallons of wastewater per day, but is only discharging about half of that, according to the state.

"Receiving this MassWorks grant allows us to leverage the Alta at River’s Edge project to bring much needed rental and affordable housing in perpetuity while also creating future vitality through increased access to wastewater services for our whole Route 20 corridor of business and residential structures," Board of Selectmen Chair Cherry Karlson said in a statement.