The developer of Westwood Station has cleared one hurdle in the permitting process.
Cabot, Cabot & Forbes received approval last month from the Zoning Board of Appeals to build the $1.5 billion, 4.5-million-square-foot retail, residential and office project on University Avenue.
The Zoning Board considered the project in terms of the water resource protection overlay district.
The decision comes with the support of the Dedham-Westwood Water District. Though the water district does not have any permitting authority over the project, it has an interest in development because of its proximity to drinking wells.
"We're satisfied they'll construct the project in such a way so the threat to the well fields is minimal,'' Mike Duff, executive director of the water district, said last week. "There's an excellent emergency response and contingency plan in place.''
Duff said the water district wrote a comment letter about the project that CC&F responded to favorably. To further protect the wells into the future, Duff said the developer and water district are working out a financial security agreement that can exist regardless of any future owner.
Zoning Board members did not return phone calls for comment.
"We're delighted with the ZBA approval,'' CC&F President Jay Doherty said last week.
Even with the Board of Appeals approval, Doherty is focused on the Planning Board. "The Planning Board is the next key set of approvals,'' Doherty said.
The Planning Board began its permitting process in January, and has entered the second round of reviewing different aspects of the project.
"The Planning Board has direct review over all of these issues at some level or another. They can rely upon other boards as they rely upon consultants to do reviews,'' Doherty said.
Daily News staff writer Greg Duggan can be reached at 781-433-8355 or by e-mail at gduggan@cnc.com.
