Five Hearings Continued

            Some of the cases were continuances of continuances that were again continued, while at least one case was being heard for the first time. That’s the way things go in the world of conservation oversight. And so, on September 3 as the Rochester Conservation Commission conducted its due diligence on behalf of the town and its citizens, five hearings were continued.

            Engineer Richard Charon represented Daniel Paradis for property located at 443 Neck Road, a parcel situated on the shores of Snipatuit Pond, in a Notice of Intent hearing.

            Charon said that the conceptual plans included the razing of a 1930’s cottage and the construction of a four-bedroom home. However, he impressed upon the commission that the plans were speculative, more to determine the viability of the property for future new construction versus actual plans of record for an upcoming groundbreaking.

            The conceptual plans, Charon pointed out, also included a freshwater well and a 1,000-gallon septic tank.

            Vice Chairman Daniel Gagne asked that the plans be revised to include an emergency generator that would be connected to the pump system of the septic, and said, “If the tank over-tops there’ll be sewage heading for the wetlands.”

            Charon agreed that was a good idea.

            The hearing was continued until September 17.

            Also continued until September 17 was a continued hearing for an Abbreviated Notice of Resource Area Delineation filed by Simpson Solar for property owned by John Simpson, 102 Quaker Lane. Neither the applicant nor the representative was present on this evening. The commission accepted a letter requesting the continuance.

            Two hearings, both represented by Julie Goodwin of Prime Engineering, were also for Abbreviated Notice of Resource Area Delineation for properties located at 0 Featherbed Lane and 0 Cushman Road. These properties are part of a large wetlands system Goodwin described as “swamp”, with the Featherbed Lane parcel requiring confirmation of 3,000 linear feet of bordering vegetated wetland, and the Cushman Road parcel for 2,800 linear feet.

            These submittals, along with at least two others, are being proposed by developer by SunRaise Investments, Portsmouth, NH for solar arrays.

            The hearings were both continued until October 1 to allow the conservation agent, Laurell Farinon, time to review wetland flagging in the field.

            Coming closer to shovels in the ground, but also continued, was a reopened hearing for an over 55 residential development planned for Rounseville Road adjacent to Plumb Corner.

            Representing the applicants Gibbs Bray and Patricia Bray was Brian Wallace of J.C. Engineering, Inc. for a Notice of Intent filed by REpurpose Properties.

            Wallace explained that work had been ongoing since May with peer review consultant Ken Motta of Field Engineering, and said that Motta’s comments had been incorporated and, while the plans before the commission were an earlier version, updated plans would be completed in the coming few days.

            Gagne asked that, when the applicant returned to the commission, the plans include a separate layout of the erosion controls that will be used. He was also asked that permanent demarcation of the “No Touch Zone” be included pre- and post-construction. Wallace agreed with these requests. The hearing was continued until October 1.

            Also coming before the commission was Michael Murphy for property located on Mary’s Pond Road for an Order of Conditions for work that never took place. A Certificate of Compliance to clear the deed was granted, allowing a property sale to move forward.

            And last up was a request to withdraw without prejudice a Notice of Intent filed by T-Mobile for the installation of a 25KV generator on property located at 98 Bowen’s Lane. The request was granted.

            The next meeting of the Rochester Conservation Commission is scheduled for September 17 at 7:00 pm in the Rochester Town Hall meeting room.

Rochester Conservation Commission

By Marilou Newell

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