Pepperell Conservation Commission Denies Two Subdivision Lot Amendments, Requires New Filings

PEPPERELL — June 2, 2020 — Pepperell Conservation Commission denies wetland amendment requests for two subdivision lots and grants extensions for four others. The commission, meeting remotely for one of its first pandemic-era video sessions, rejected amendment requests for lots 14 and 15 in the Bridge Drive Extension subdivision, finding both lots too close to an infiltration basin and potentially downslope of it under Massachusetts stormwater standards — a finding that triggers new notices of intent rather than minor modifications. The board simultaneously granted negative determinations for five other lots in the same development, though members Emily and Pete voted against lots one through four, stating the concentration of homes near the wetland buffer was too great. Commission member Bob, who led much of the technical analysis, noted that the basin "goes from 96 to 99.5" in elevation while the proposed basement floor sits at 94.5, putting the house downslope and theoretically requiring a 100-foot setback. Three-year order-of-condition extensions were approved unanimously for lots 11, 12, 13, and 19, with action on lots 16 and 18 continued to July 14. The commission also received a full briefing from Joseph Gould of the state Division of Ecological Restoration on a planned dam removal and culvert replacement at the Kaseberg Conservation Area, backed by approximately $71,000 in two state-funded contracts with Horsley Witten and targeting a September 2021 construction window following MEPA review and a nine-month permit process.