Pepperell Conservation Commission continues Dunkin' Donuts hearing, cites stormwater and alternatives concerns

PEPPERELL — November 1, 2016 — Pepperell Conservation Commission continued a wetlands hearing on a proposed Dunkin' Donuts at 61-63 Main Street, raising concerns about stormwater design, impervious surface expansion, and a thin alternatives analysis. The commission formally opened the public hearing under MGL Chapter 131, Section 40, for a notice of intent filed by Catalano Companies to construct a 2,500-square-foot coffee shop, drive-through, and 27-space parking lot within the 200-foot riverfront area of Barnum Brook, a perennial stream running through the downtown site. Engineer Brandon Duscharm of Duscharm and Dillas described the project as a redevelopment of a degraded site, noting existing impervious area of roughly 12,000 square feet would increase to approximately 16,000 square feet but argued stormwater management credits make the project compliant. Commission members pushed back, with one stating that "there should be all effort to try to keep the imperviousness from expanding" given the riverfront location, and a retired Natural Heritage plant ecologist raised unresolved questions about whether aggressive invasive-species removal near the brook could destabilize contaminated fill soils. DEP reviewer Judy Schmidt was expected to submit written comments before the continued hearing, set for November 15 at approximately 7:10 p.m., following a site visit scheduled for November 2 at 4 p.m.