Pepperell Conservation Commission Clears Blood Street Septic Replacement Near Wetlands

PEPPERELL — September 17, 2019 — Pepperell Conservation Commission unanimously approved a septic replacement at 52 Blood Street, clearing homeowner Richard Casey to proceed without a full Notice of Intent. Engineer Kevin Ritchie presented the constrained design, which situates a new Presby Enviro-Septic leach field 78 feet from an adjacent wetland and a new two-compartment tank 54 feet out — as close as site geometry allows given a 100-foot well setback arc and property-line limits on the other side. The commission issued a negative determination under findings three and six of the Massachusetts Wetlands Protection Act regulations, finding the work will not alter a protected resource area and is not subject to local bylaw review. Members conditioned the approval on the use of biodegradable, non-plastic netting around any straw wattles during construction. Separately, the commission noted that a previously scheduled public hearing for a proposed senior living facility at 42 to 46 Mill Street would not go forward, with the applicant having withdrawn from the project before both the Conservation Commission and the Planning Board, citing costs.