The Rochester Conservation Commission on November 21 issued its approval for the Notice of Intent filed by Wellspring Farm, LLC of 42 Hiller Road to upgrade the existing driveway to satisfy Planning Board specifications.
Engineer Brad Holmes said the requested improvements to the driveway would include, most notably, the paving of the existing gravel driveway, in addition to grass water quality swales on either side of the drive.
Conservation Agent Laurell Farinon said the proposed project was certainly within the owners’ rights, with the original OOC granted years ago for the gravel drive, and an upgrade of the driveway would certainly be appropriate.
“[The work] can be done without adverse impacts to wetlands,” said Farinon.
All work will be done within the 100-foot buffer zone.
The project received an Order of Conditions with the stipulation that there be a pre-construction hearing at the site, at which time all erosion control barriers must be installed and reviewed by the commission.
In other matters, the commission granted a Request for a Certificate of Compliance submitted by JC Engineering, represented by John Churchill, for property at 1 Dr. Braley Road.
One of the conditions was issued to Churchill in December of 2015, allowing for the construction of a three-bedroom house along with an associated porch, deck, bituminous driveway, grading, landscaping, utilities, installation of a drinking well, and installation of a Title 5 septic system.
Churchill said there were some deviations from the plan that are very minor, and Conservation Commission Chairman Michael Conway was just curious as to why the foundation of the house was constructed three inches higher than it was proposed.
Churchill laughed it off, saying that he didn’t know how that happened, but it was also very minor.
Farinon said she had been working with the applicant since last summer, and she had concerns about re-vegetation. After a site visit on November 8, Farinon said, “I think it looks very good, everything was well stabilized.” There was one area of minor concern, she said, referring to it as one “weak spot.”
“[An area] that I know they worked hard to remediate over time and I think it’s under control,” Farinon stated before recommending the Certificate of Compliance.
The Notice of Intent filed by Luis Coelho for property at 0 E/S Walnut Plain Road owned by Decas Cranberry that was continued from November 7 received permission to move forward.
Farinon recommended allowing the project as proposed, with the stipulations that a semi-permanent barrier be installed along the 25-foot No Disturb boundary line prior to occupancy, and secondly that a pre-construction meeting be held to review the barriers.
The NOI filed by Thomas Waterman of Waterman Realty Trust for property located at 0 E/S Walnut Plain Road was given a Positive Determination and an Order of Conditions on its first public hearing appearance before the commission.
Representative Bob Rogers pointed out that this plan was revised to show a smaller backyard, changing the tree line slightly from the original plan.
“Now would be the time to give whatever reasonable rear yard toward the No Touch that the commission would allow,” said Rogers. The plan is to set up the fence in the proper spot so that no future owners would have different expectations of what is allowed.
The next meeting of the Rochester Conservation Commission is scheduled for December 5 at 7:00 pm at the Rochester Town Hall.
Rochester Conservation Commission
By Jean Perry