LEOMINSTER — On Monday, Dec. 8, 2025, the Leominster City Council held a public hearing on a request from Mayor Dean Mazzarella to take by eminent domain permanent and temporary easements needed for a $1.8 million Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) flood mitigation project on Lancaster and Union streets.
John Roseberry, the senior engineering aide for Leominster’s Department of Public Works (DPW) told councilors the project addresses damage from prior flooding and involves work at two locations.
“This is one of the DOT flood projects,” Roseberry said. “There’s three in total. This is the first one — Union Street and Lancaster Street.”
Roseberry said the Lancaster Street work includes reconstruction of a retaining wall near the corner of Malburn Street, while Union Street will see slope and channel stabilization after retaining walls “fell into the brook during the flood.”
According to Roseberry, the project requires 12 easements — eight permanent and four temporary — with the temporary easements lasting up to five years.
“The project has been designed, funded, and will be constructed by MassDOT,” Roseberry said. “It’s a $1.8 million project.”
Roseberry said abutters were notified by certified mail and written offers were sent to affected property owners. He added that road construction is expected to be limited.
“They might not even have to close a lane,” Roseberry said of Lancaster Street. Later adding, “Union Street, they might have to close a lane just to move equipment around, but generally it’ll be very temporary.”
Construction on Lancaster Street is anticipated to begin in the spring and last approximately three to four months, according to Roseberry.
Councilor-at-Large Claire Freda asked Roseberry whether most of the easements the city is seeking are essentially for construction storage, or use easements.
Roseberry replied that beyond the temporary easements, the easements on Lancaster Street are going to be “for the wall” so the city can “maintain in perpetuity, the wall.” He said the Union Street easements are to “maintain the slope,” and added that the “head wall” at Union Street on the culvert “needs attention also,” requiring “a separate easement for those.” Roseberry said that is why Union Street has “a couple more easements.”
Freda responded that the work appeared to be “pretty necessary projects,” and Roseberry agreed. He said the wall work is needed—adding that he thought the abutters “are tired of looking at it.” He then described the Union Street work as “more of a environmental concern,” explaining that the “old granite block retaining walls fell into the channel,” and that another major storm could cause erosion “in different spots than it does now.” Roseberry said the project would allow the city to “get that all cleaned up” and make it something they can “maintain.”
No members of the public spoke in opposition during the hearing, and the council subsequently closed the public comment period. Later in the meeting, the city council voted unanimously to approve the MassDOT easement project.
