Pepperell Conservation Commission Approves Wetland Crossing Order for Heald Street Home

PEPPERELL — January 9, 2024 — Pepperell Conservation Commission unanimously approves wetland crossing order for 115 Heald Street construction project. The commission cleared the notice of intent filed by Terry Reese to build a house, garages, barn, septic system, well, and roughly 1,000-foot driveway with two wetland crossings, after the project engineer revised the site plan to widen the first crossing to 12 feet at the fire chief's request and add erosion controls and boulder barriers at both wetland replication areas. The commission's most pointed condition came from member Pat, who argued that peat must not be used as a soil amendment in the wetland replication zones — "we are damaging wetlands, probably in Canada" — directing the engineer to follow composted-leaf guidance from a Norse Environmental Services plant report instead. Paula, the commission's agent, warned that DEP is currently reporting six-to-eight-month waits for the 401 water quality certification the project requires before any construction can begin. Commission member Rob also briefed the group on Pepperell's newly active Community Preservation Committee, which opened for project applications January 11 and received approximately $40,000 in state matching funds in its first year.