The Rochester Conservation Commission voted not to amend an Order of Conditions on changes to construction plans for the City of New Bedford at Negus Way, Map 45, Lots 8 and 9.
The property, which serves as a water treatment facility, already had plans approved by the Commission, but this public meeting involved a change in the original proposal. The Commission voted to issue a Notice of Non-Significance for the changes to the project, which involved a movement in the location of a gas line to an old boiler plant building.
Dave Fredette, a City Engineer for the Department of Public Infrastructure was on hand to represent New Bedford.
“In my opinion, it does not require an amended order of conditions,” said Laurell Farinon, the town’s Conservation Agent. “We’ve been keeping a nice close eye on this all along, and everything’s gone really smoothly.”
In other news, the Commission discussed recent and future work done at the conservation area at Doggett’s Brook.
“They did a great job,” said Farinon, when speaking of volunteers from the Wildlands Trust and the Rochester Land Trust, who have recently worked on the trails there, which had fallen victim to countless downed trees and overgrown vegetation.
According to Farinon, the Wildlands Trust will donate a kiosk at the site. The Wildlands Trust is a nonprofit organization that works to preserve land in Southeastern Massachusetts.
The Commission also discussed the grading of large, preexisting piles of loam on the site, but voiced concern over some of the wildlife in the area, including the Eastern Box turtle, which is indigenous. Farinon said they would proceed with caution towards the turtles when plans are laid out for the grading.
The Commission also announced the release of an informational brochure regarding the proposed adoption of a Community Preservation Act (CPA) in town. The CPA is designed to help protect community assets in town.
So far, the Commission said that they’ve received mixed results regarding the proposal, which they hope will go forward at the next Town Meeting in the fall. The brochures are available at the Town Hall Annex on 37 Marion Rd.
Lastly, the Commission nominated Farinon to be their representative on a newly formed Zoning Bylaw Subcommittee in town.
By Nick Walecka
