The Rochester Conservation Commission began its deliberations Tuesday by approving a Certificate of Compliance for the 7 Forbes Road residential construction project, meaning the completed new home there substantially complies with the board’s earlier Order of Conditions.
Conservation Agent Merilee Kelly clarified that this is one of the new house lots next to bogs in that area of town. The board’s approval vote was unanimous after Kelly confirmed the work is complete.
The commission’s next two votes came nearly as quickly. The board approved the Notice of Intent and issued an Order of Conditions for the plan for 527 High Street, the proposed construction of a garage, shed, stone retaining wall and fence, and a 12-foot-wide gravel driveway at a single-family home. Project representative Brian Wallace explained that he had to file the project with the environmental regulatory agency Natural Heritage because of possible box turtles in the area and only recently received the agency’s response. As a result, the board set a box turtle sweep as one of the project’s Order of Conditions.
The board then endorsed a plan to install a pool and pool shed at 48 Bryant Lane, where a corner portion is within the 100-foot wetlands buffer zone, with a Negative Determination of Applicability to town wetlands regulations, meaning the project will not require further action by the commission. The vote came after the board concluded the pool will be a mere 30 feet into the wetlands buffer zone.
The next agenda item was to be a further discussion of the plan to eradicate the water-choking invasive aquatic weeds in Snipatuit Pond with area cranberry growers. But none of them attended. That left the board, along with Fish and Game official David Watling and Snipatuit resident Ben Bailey, to mull the town’s next steps on their own.
The first factor the board considered was member Norm Bourgue’s report from the state Fisheries and Wildlife that the dates between April 1 and June 30 are the times not to use chemical treatments of the aquatic weeds because of the herring run. Board members and attendees bandied about what the best chemical treatment to use and when to apply it. But they ultimately realized the first step is to have the funding to do it. The commission agreed to seek more time for Kelly to research grant opportunities, and it continued the discussion to its next meeting.
Kelly explained later that the town is awaiting word on receiving funding from a state Environmental Bond. But right now, she said, that funding is still “in committee” at the state legislature.
In other action, the commission continued its Notice of Intent hearing on a plan to place a ground-mounted solar array system within a 100-foot wetlands buffer zone on Walnut Plain Road to October 20.
The next Conservation Commission meeting will be October 20 at 7:00 pm at the Town Office Building, 1 Constitution Way.
Rochester Conservation Commission
By Michael J. DeCicco