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HDC approves clearing, grading and shed removal for Millennium Running retention pond at 137 Bedford Center Road
Summary
The Historic District Commission approved grading, tree clearing and shed demolition to create a stormwater retention pond at 137 Bedford Center Road, subject to completion within two years and photographic documentation.
The Bedford Historic District Commission on May 12 approved an application from Millennium Running to clear trees, grade, and remove a shed to construct a stormwater retention pond on the portion of 137 Bedford Center Road that lies within the town's historic district.
John Mortimer, owner of Millennium Running, told the commission the multi-year project had been delayed by an environmental investigation and that planning and zoning approvals had lapsed and since been renewed. He said the retention pond sits on the back half of a lot that is divided between the Commercial District and the historic-district portion: "the back half of the lot's right here...the buyer retention is on the back of it," Mortimer said at the hearing.
Vice Chair Kathleen Bemis made a motion to approve the request for grading, site alteration, tree clearing and shed demolition at 137 Bedford Center Road, with conditions that the grading, stormwater construction and landscaping be completed within two years and that the applicant submit photos of completed work for the file. David Clark seconded the motion and the commission voted to approve it.
Mortimer and planners emphasized the retention pond is intended to provide flood-storage capacity and to offset grading and fill needed for construction on the commercial portion of the lot. The applicants told the commission that the retention pond and the related clearing are limited to the historic-district portion of the lot and that the bulk of development and parking will be on the commercial side of the parcel.
Commissioners discussed visibility and abutter protections: the retention pond is designed to remain within a 50-foot setback area, which the applicants said provides a wooded buffer between the pond and neighboring residential lots. Mortimer described the wooded area as not densely forested in places and declined to provide an exact count of trees to be removed: "I don't know in terms of that, the exact number. I haven't counted them."
Commission members said they generally viewed the retention pond as beneficial for flood control and abutters, provided the work follows the approved stormwater and bioretention plans. The approval was conditioned on a two-year implementation window and submission of photographic documentation when the work is complete.
The commission recorded the motion as an approval; commissioners did not set a required tree-replacement number in this case and instead relied on the stormwater and landscape plans approved by planning and zoning.
