Pepperell Board of Health Voids Brush-Pile Fine, Orders Composting Rules Drafted

PEPPERELL -- March 26, 2026, Pepperell Board of Health waives a brush-pile fine and directs its health agent to draft the town's first composting regulation. The board unanimously voided a fine against a resident of 835 South Main Street after Health Agent Dylan Labonte confirmed the brush pile had been removed before the meeting; no payment had been collected, making reimbursement unnecessary. The resident, who told the board she has lived at the property for 37 years, described an ongoing dispute with neighbors at 833 South Main Street and said the accumulation was part of a decades-long leaf-composting practice. Chair Elena Almeida directed Labonte to consult town counsel and return with draft language defining what a compost pile may contain and how close it may sit to a property line, a regulation that would cover all residential properties in town. The board also heard that a pending smoke-shop permit application has been withdrawn and asked that a January agenda item address hiring a dedicated food inspector, funded through a revolving permit account Labonte said holds well over $28,000 in unspent fees.