Wells planning board continues Mia Lane subdivision workshop after stormwater, well and buffer concerns

The Wells Planning Board continued a workshop on the proposed Mia Lane Subdivision on Monday, taking public comment on stormwater and fire-protection arrangements and voting to continue the file for up to 60 days.

Resident Jean Hill urged caution over stormwater and the subdivision’s drainage design, telling the board, “Given the ongoing and worsening impact of our more frequent and intense storm events, it is critical that the hydroclad model function as intended.” She questioned runoff reaching a culvert near 64 Autumn Lane and objected to relying on a private hydrant in the Sea Orchard homeowners association for fire protection.

Mike Sudak, the project engineer representing Gilchrist Development, said the developed grading will direct runoff into a single detention pond and reduce peak flows compared with existing conditions. “The site drains almost perfectly in half,” Sudak said, describing roadside and rear-yard swales that feed a detention feature designed to attenuate flows before they reach the culverted crossing at Autumn Lane. Sudak also said…