Brian Grady of G.A.F. Engineering, Inc. came before the Rochester Conservation Commission on April 20 to discuss a Notice of Intent filing brought forth by Ben Bailey. The proposed work would see the construction of a 700-foot roadway to provide access to a single-family house lot. Though the project is still in the application process, it is already beginning to raise concerns from abutters on the nearby Gerrish Road.
Grady began his presentation by explaining that the proposed access road is subject to numerous exemptions from the town’s bylaws, as it is being used to access a single-family house lot. Despite these exemptions, Grady explained that many of the additions to the plan, including a drainage basin, were added to benefit the project as a whole. The proposed limit of work would include clearing and grading within the 100-foot buffer zone to a bordering wetland, but no work inside of the 25 foot no-disturb zone is required for the project to be completed.
Vice Chairman Daniel Gagne expressed concerns that the topography demonstrated on the plans shows that water would have to flow over the roadway in order to reach the water basin. He advised Grady to find solutions, such as a relocation of the water basin, which would prevent this kind of water flow. While Grady informed Gagne that he would look into the flow of the water, he maintained that the water flowing over the road would not be a significant hinderance to the Notice of Intent filing.
Conservation Agent Laurell Farinon told commission members that she still needs to conduct a review of the wetland delineation on the site. She further stressed the importance of having commission members visit the site in order to gain a greater understanding of the topography and wetlands areas near the proposed roadway.
Abutters to the proposed roadway also joined the meeting to voice their concerns surrounding the project. They were primarily concerned with perceived inconsistencies on the plans surrounding the ability for the project to gain exemptions from certain regulations. Grady worked to explain some of these inconsistencies and clarified that the site would provide access to only one single-family housing lot. Still, abutters recommended that the commission seek the help of an independent consultant to confirm the calculations presented in Grady’s plans.
Commission Chairman Michael Conway explained that the proposal was still in its preliminary stages and that further review would likely resolve much of the concern surrounding the project. The commission voted to continue the public hearing on the filing until their next meeting.
Austin Turner, of Bohler Engineering, came before the commission in order to seek a determination of non-significance for adjustments to a previously accepted Order of Conditions for a solar project on Old Middleboro Road.
Turner had previously come before the commission in order to expand the existing limit of work on the site so that construction could include alterations to an existing ancient way that runs through the site. In his discussions with Farinon, Turner realized that it would be beneficial for all parties to find an alternative solution that would not require changes to the ancient way.
The solution Turner arrived at involved a minor relocation of the outlet for the stormwater basin on the solar site. The new proposal allows the ancient way to maintain its existing location and remain as a continuous pathway. In addition, no additional tree clearing or brush removal will be required under his new proposal.
Farinon explained that she was satisfied with the new proposal, and that the Rochester Planning Board had also accepted the plans made by Turner. For that reason, Farinon recommended that the commission deem the relocation of the water basin outlet as an unsubstantial change to the plan. The commission followed her recommendation and voted to allow the relocation of the basin to go forward.
The next Rochester Conservation Commission meeting is scheduled to take place over Zoom on Tuesday, May 4, at 7:00 pm.
Rochester Conservation Commission
By Matthew Donato