Conservation Commission 05/06/2026

(Episode Description is AI generated and may be errors in accuracy)

You can hear the moment a routine meeting becomes a lesson in how local permitting should work. We make votes, set conditions, and keep the record clear, because the smallest procedural slip can create real problems later. From the start, we’re focused on what’s actually being proposed on the ground and what documentation has to match it, especially when regulated areas and state oversight come into play.

We walk through a negative determination decision for a South Street West property, then shift to a DEP-related certificate of compliance request where one missing detail matters: a properly stamped letter. The underlying project involves an old pool that was broken up and filled, and our job is to confirm the closeout steps are complete before anything is released. If you’ve ever wondered why boards get strict about paperwork, this is why. Keywords that come up naturally here include wetlands jurisdiction, certificate of compliance, negative determination, DEP file documentation, and conditions of approval.

We also field an informal request for guidance on siting a 30-by-40 garage and a potential new driveway, with locations that avoid the 25-foot no-activity zone but still fall within a wider jurisdictional area. The most important takeaway is about fairness: we explain why we cannot hint at approval or express a preference before legal notice and public input, even when the applicant is just trying to plan ahead. If you care about transparent process, environmental compliance, and getting projects designed the right way the first time, you’ll get something useful here. Subscribe, share the episode with someone dealing with permitting, and leave a review with your take: should boards offer more early guidance, or stick to strict neutrality?

Transcript

SPEAKER_09 2:09

Yeah, we we highlighted the fifty one. There's no there's no work in the fifty. There's a little bit of repaving work within the hundred and reporting.

SPEAKER_08 2:21

Exactly. I don't know.

SPEAKER_11 3:03

The malls are currently. Yeah, it's all size.

SPEAKER_03 3:15

Oh well, so I'm right.

SPEAKER_11 3:29

Yeah. This is where the party city is.

SPEAKER_10 3:33

Yes, yes. Yeah, essentially right the tricklight is going. Essentially where the party city is like. I don't have the issues.

SPEAKER_08 3:50

Well, I guess I'll ask you if you want to close. We will like we would like to close.

SPEAKER_11 3:57

Okay. Can I get a motion to motion opposed hearing? Can I second that motion?

Negative Determination Vote

SPEAKER_03 4:05

Motion closed. All in favor say aye. Aye. Aye. Opposed? Yeah. Thank you. Um we have the document here. We can vote for the approval by the motion.

SPEAKER_11 4:28

Can you repeat that again, please? For approval. Motion to approve. Motion to approve uh 600 substreet west change white. Second that motion. Yeah, I think it'd be a negative. Yeah, negative determination. Motion approve negative determination for 600 South Street West. Yes, second that motion.

SPEAKER_03 4:52

All in favor? Aye. Aye.

unknown 4:57

Aye.

SPEAKER_08 5:28

Also for the decision, should I?

SPEAKER_03 5:33

Yeah, we'll we'll have to draw it on leave for the data.

SPEAKER_08 5:37

We'll sign it today and we'll have to go get whenever we get an email.

SPEAKER_04 5:41

I haven't drafted, so I can I don't send the original out for which you come to the outer.

SPEAKER_10 5:49

Yeah, it's a bit bold. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Okay, thank you.

SPEAKER_00 6:01

Thank you. Thank you. Good night.

Certificate Of Compliance Request

SPEAKER_03 6:10

Okay. Next informal request for certificate of compliance for DEP number 26955154N Street. Anyone here for that? This is Chris's of the letter.

unknown 6:32

He's fine with this vision.

SPEAKER_03 6:36

Oh I can't the letters. It did not have a stamp on it. It had a P. Yeah. Well it didn't have a stamp.

SPEAKER_07 6:47

Yeah. Well, we can never uh because we discussed that before. Uh we can never uh because that's on the buildable one. So we'll we'll we'll put the issue on the same November we see to have them bring some level stamp before we do the same.

SPEAKER_03 7:08

Yeah, I'd be okay with that. We have the letter in hand as long as we stay with the stamp on it has to be the same line.

SPEAKER_07 7:16

Oh yeah, Chris Chris is local. But it has to be the same line that he stamps. Yes. Because that's what's remote on. Well just having to bring the stamped on stem at all. Yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 7:29

Um so that is this guy uh background on this, it's a pool that was constructed and then filled a property.

SPEAKER_11 7:47

This is so you talked to him.

SPEAKER_03 8:14

Did they pull the pool out before they filled it, or did they fill the pool with a question for it? So they did break the pool.

SPEAKER_08 8:36

Yeah, that's what I guess right then.

SPEAKER_10 8:40

I think did it work in my call?

SPEAKER_03 8:52

Yeah. But he was that they filled it in outside. He's stamping it.

SPEAKER_07 9:03

So he's going to end just making brass over, or yeah, it's just the old no, the whole screen old then. So it doesn't really have any like energy in the model. And it doesn't want neighborhood kids coming in and falling in and him being responsible.

SPEAKER_03 9:28

So the only comment that I have on this one is that we have to include the requirement for the stuff.

SPEAKER_07 9:49

Okay, I'm saying that we did the letter, but I'm putting the back or not see it.

SPEAKER_11 10:01

I do not have any comments with this.

unknown 10:05

Okay, so I get a motion.

SPEAKER_06 10:09

Um because it's a right now. Okay, so um motion to issue the certificate compliance? Motion to issue the compliance once we get it.

SPEAKER_05 10:29

For street subject to the uh uh the certificate not being released without the rest of the letter.

SPEAKER_06 10:38

All right, so subject to um the certificate not being released until it gets to official staff.

SPEAKER_11 10:48

I will second that motion.

Garage Siting Guidance And Limits

SPEAKER_03 10:50

Motion made and seconded. All in favor? Aye. Aye. Yes. I just want to caution the committee commission members about giving any sense of approval or hinting that there's one way or another to because it hasn't been noticed, it is not open, we can't make questions.

SPEAKER_12 12:48

Okay. Uh Greg Drake, Rollback Engineering, uh representing the homeowner of Brady Becker. Um he's looking at some guidance on he has a couple locations for a garage, a like 30 by 40 garage. And um he has weapons on the property, so a couple locations are within 100, so they are in the jurisdiction of the board. I wanted to just show you those two locations on the plane here. If you want a smaller copy of this, I can give you that one, but you would ask.

unknown 13:27

I'm fine.

SPEAKER_12 13:32

I got more copies of me. So as I said, the uh promoter would like to build a 30 by 40 garage. Preferred location is this red location right here, but also includes a um driveway, a new driveway to the uh Sandy Hill Road. Um the other location is this yellow box over here, the 30 by 40 area, which is in the existing draft. So basically he's looking for, he knows that he's gonna have to file, but he wants to prefer the one in the red, but wants to some guidance as to and find out that if you guys would, you know, not necessarily say it is approved, but it's outside the 25-foot no activity zone, but it is within the 100 both activities. So we're just trying to get some guidance so that we can finalize a plan and then submit perform what notice for the top. Any guidance you guys can provide? Where is the driveway in the house? Right yet?

SPEAKER_11 14:48

Oh, okay. Now, would you be putting a new driveway in if you were to put the red spot as?

SPEAKER_12 14:56

Yes, that's what the blue is?

SPEAKER_11 14:58

That'd be the new driveway.

unknown 14:59

Okay.

SPEAKER_07 15:03

Like your children already noted. You can't you can't give an opinion so this is preferable or this one. Because it's not an application before you. So you can't be given an opinion which one is preferred. Because when they give you a detailed design, you might go, oh, the elevations are different or what have you. So that's both of them uh in jurisdiction. They are maintaining the 25-foot move touch, and they can propose whichever one they want. They shouldn't be given an opinion to control the preferred because that would be prejudicial. We don't have a public notification of a bias. Uh never come here, there's an appliance screaming about that, and we can reveal for that information. Well, you guys told us that this is one preferred. So you can do that.

SPEAKER_12 15:57

I think all these looking for is if you can do either one if they're outside the 25.0 touch, then these are both um within the jurisdiction have to file, but they both are options, viable options never mind. They're not inside the 25.

SPEAKER_07 16:16

He's not asking for approval, he's asking asking for academics, which one which one they prefer. Basically you're telling them you want to think which one they prefer and they should do that. That's right. So both of them, both of them are in jurisdiction, both of them can put more information when you're grading another patient, they should then be able to review. Okay, they can't really for something that is in jurisdiction, clearly, and and uh requires the use of the tech, they can't really prejudicially uh uh you know giving your opinion before you identify. I understand. And then you that application requires notification of a product, a publication in the newspaper. So it'll be running an actual risk to say who can do this or do that. Uh I don't see whether we can be doing that. I mean, but it's not prerogative that I would, but I don't think it's to do that. Somewhat. Yeah.

SPEAKER_12 17:19

Yeah. It's very formal and go by, so it's not just really tell you is that it's within our jurisdiction and wouldn't be open to RDA.

SPEAKER_07 17:32

Yeah, that's either one would require.

SPEAKER_12 17:39

So basically, you'd have to go through that. Of course, yeah.

SPEAKER_07 17:44

Yeah. Typically DEP says if everything that you do is outside 50 feet, then you can do a request for determination. But you're not aware you're not outside the 50 feet. Because if you are, then you'd be zoning. So either one will require the use of internet. Okay. That's the best answer.

SPEAKER_02 18:06

Uh if I may, um, can you add to the uh I I believe one of the the big things we're trying to understand is are we violating any anything any rules that we're not going over? I know that we have 25-foot uh no cross or is there any anything special that we're we're missing or something that we should take in account for?

SPEAKER_07 18:32

That's why you had that guy.

SPEAKER_02 18:34

Of course, yeah. I mean, well, apparently we just seemed like we needed to do this, and we could just push forward with uh NOI, which is what I was hoping to do. But that we're so good.

SPEAKER_04 18:54

Okay.

SPEAKER_12 18:55

So uh see you uh so it's a delivery. We'll see you again.

unknown 19:04

Yeah, okay. Sounds good.

SPEAKER_12 19:05

Okay, thank you. Thank you.

Minutes, Correspondence, Adjournment

SPEAKER_11 19:36

Motion to accept the minutes of April 15, 2026? I will be abstaining because that was not. Then we can't vote on it. Oh, okay. I thought you were yet.

SPEAKER_03 19:49

I was, but we need to read.

SPEAKER_11 19:52

Have you read this in our view thing that you should be able to vote? I did, but I just I thought I couldn't think of that yet, so that's why.

SPEAKER_07 20:03

Well, it can go to the next meeting. Yeah, we can just wait. So uh it doesn't currently have to we can just do a next meeting.

SPEAKER_03 20:12

It just has to be on the next meeting. Uh tools. As far as we know, we don't have any bills. Correct. Uh correspondence. We did get one correspondence. Um it was for the the apartment slash multifamily that we approved at 1775 New State Highway, Church Street. Um it's concerning the dock that they have, and they're just noticing us that they're going for approval for the dock rules with the state, and it'll accept public comment on it. So it's the one that we already approved. So if anyone wants to take a look at that, they're going for supplemental license. Yeah, then the doc license. Um we don't have any site visits. So that basically takes everything off on the list. Alrighty. Yes, I am. Motion to adjourn.

SPEAKER_11 21:26

Second motion to adjourn.

SPEAKER_03 21:28

All in favor? Aye. No