Commission seeks peer review and buffer‑zone restoration plan for 23 River Street filing

The Brockton Conservation Commission voted to refer the 23 River Street notice of intent to a third‑party peer reviewer and to require a buffer‑zone enhancement plan to stabilize a steep, trash‑filled slope in the project’s 25‑ to 100‑foot buffer zone.

The project, described by the applicant as demolition of an existing dwelling and garage and construction of a three‑family rental with parking, sits above a steep 10‑foot drop to wetlands. Agent Kyle Holden told the commission he is concerned about the amount of debris and exposed soil on the slope and recommended requiring a restoration plan with “more substantial site stabilization” than simple seed mix — for example, woody plantings, anchored soil stabilization or other measures to prevent erosion after debris removal.

Holden said MassDEP issued a file number for the project with no technical comments and confirmed abutters were notified. He also noted that while the Wetlands Protection Act generally exempts small subdivisions from stormwater review, Brockton’s stormwater ordinance requires a stormwater permit for a three-family project. The city’s stormwater authority is not fully operational; the applicant’s representative said the engineer is preparing a stormwater submission and supported sending stormwater materials to a peer reviewer so the review can proceed.

Commissioners voted to send the filing for peer review and to require a buffer‑zone enhancement plan for the slope; the hearing was continued to Oct. 15.