Grassi Bog Restoration Dribbles Along

It was late into the evening when the Marion Conservation Commission began discussions on a letter they recently received from Marion Open Space Acquisition Commission Chairman John Rockwell.

Rockwell’s March 10 letter sent to abutters of the town-owned Grassi Bog property with a copy to the Conservation Commission seemed to rekindle long-simmering disagreements between MOSAC and the ConCom regarding issues at the site.

Rockwell’s letter states in part, We met with the NRCS to nail down the funding timetable, so that we could put the project out to bid. We were informed that they would not fund the exit pipe they had designed for us, and that is now part of the Conservation Commission approved permit.”

            MOSAC met with the NRCS (Natural Resources Conservation Service) on March 10, Rockwell explained in the letter, and were informed that, NRCS will draw up a new plan that maintains the exit pipe as originally permitted … but, adds an emergency spillway for further protection.”

Rockwell indicated that the revised engineering should be completed in one month after which MOSAC will seek final approval from the Conservation Commission to proceed with repairs. Securing that approval will then allow the group to send the project out for construction bidding.

But none of this sat well with Conservation Commission Chairman Norm Hills or abutter Scott Erdman, who has ongoing concerns about flooding in his yard, which he contends comes from Grassi Bog.

“I’ve been living with this for three or four years,” said Erdman. He believes that when the first bog restoration project was done using round rocks instead of trap rock, problems began. The rocks that were used, he said, because they were “better looking,” allowed a March 2014 storm to breach the retaining feature and flood the area.

Hills said that after receiving Rockwell’s letter, he spoke directly with the NRCS.

“These guys have changed their minds … it is not an option for them to change their minds,” said Hills about the NRCS. “It’s been a round-robin of trying to get this thing resolved…. The whole thing has been a debacle from day one.”

In a follow-up interview with Rockwell, when asked about the issues MOSAC has faced regarding the proposed repairs that are needed, he said, “There was a long review period between the Conservation Commission and the Town’s engineer.” He continued, “We got permission in December 2015.”

Rockwell said he then learned that the NRCS would not pay for replacing a new exit pipe. Rockwell further explained that the March 2014 incident was a result of a private bog owner upland from Grassi Bog releasing 33 acres of water into an 8-acre pond. That flow, he said, destroyed the water management system at Grassi Bog.

Regarding Erdman’s contention that Grassi Bog’s water problems are creating floods on his property, Rockwell said elevation work was performed on Erdman’s property, so, in order to produce that flooding, the bog’s dike would have to have been over-topped by 3 feet.

“We are not convinced the dike has been over-topped and causing his problems,” Rockwell concluded.

            Rockwell said a new NRCS conservationist, Amaya Halter, has been hired and is assisting the town’s agencies through the problems and process.

“Amaya has been very helpful,” said Rockwell, adding that he is confident that, with consensus between all parties concerned, a plan can be achieved moving forward.

In other matters, at the start of the evening, the commission heard a Notice of Intent application from David Wilding, 760 Mill Street, for the construction of a single-family home in a buffer zone. The application was approved and granted an Order of Conditions.

Water Street Realty Trust, 29 Water Street, received a Negative determination on its application for construction of a residential elevator, as did 444 Front Street Trust for an after-the-fact removal of trees from a buffer zone.

Jonathan and Liz Howland, 16 Howland Road, received a Negative determination for their application to construction a single-family home.

The Request for Determination of Applicability for Nicholas Mitcheson, 18 Wilson Road, was continued until April 13.

David Davignon of N. Douglas Schneider & Associates met with the commission to discuss how to proceed with a lapsed Order of Conditions for work taking place at 44 Holly Road, part of the Indian Cove Trust.

The order was issued in March 2009. He was advised to submit a new RDA and to update the flood zones. Hill said they would need time to consider how to proceed once the new filing is received.

The commission also met with David Pierce, chairman of the Water Resource Protection Committee, to discuss the development of new water protection bylaws for the town. The commission thanked Pierce for the document, which they will vet and return with comments.

The next meeting of the Marion Conservation Commission is scheduled for April 13 at 7:00 pm in the Marion Town House conference room.

By Marilou Newell

 

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