Lakeville Conservation Commission members on Sept. 23 discussed recent on‑site activity at 160 Bedford Street that the commission said may violate an existing order of conditions. Commission members displayed photographs showing material transfer operations and wind‑blown dust from a site contractor, and they discussed enforcement options.

Commission agent Mark Knighton and other members said they received calls reporting a compressor and a pumping operation moving material between containers; a missing or unsecured lid on one tank allowed dust to blow toward neighboring properties. The commission said the property owner appears to be renting space on the site to third‑party truck operators, which complicates enforcement because contractors working on the leased portion performed the activity.

Commissioners said the project remains subject to the town’s order of conditions and that no site work should occur until prerequisite conditions are met and recorded. The agent said he has contacted emergency response and the regional “strike force” for hazardous materials and that that team has previously inspected the site; the strike force will follow its own response protocols. Commission members described repeated outreach and the difficulty of obtaining a prompt state or regional response for every concern.

The commission reiterated that an enforceable order of conditions remains in effect and said it will continue outreach to town and state enforcement authorities. Several commissioners suggested the town would benefit from additional enforcement tools, including monetary penalties, to deter repeated noncompliance; those broader policy questions were left for future discussion.

Why this matters: potential dust, material movement and uncovered handling of bulk materials may cause off‑site impacts to neighboring properties and nearby resources; compliance with recorded orders of conditions is required before further site work can proceed.

Next steps: the commission said it will continue to pursue enforcement follow‑up with local and regional authorities and seek clarity about any contractor activity on the property.