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Commission accepts application to clear trees at 195 Candlewood Road; full review to follow
Summary
The Stratford Inland Wetlands and Watercourses Commission accepted as complete an application to remove trees from a 3-acre lot at 195 Candlewood Road. The applicant must supply additional surveys and wetland evaluations as part of a later full application.
The Stratford Inland Wetlands and Watercourses Commission on Wednesday accepted as complete an application from David Decilio to clear trees on a 3-acre lot at 195 Candlewood Road and said the proposed work will return to the commission for a full site review.
The application covers tree removals in the town’s 250-foot upland review area adjacent to mapped wetlands. Applicant David Decilio told the commission he combined a previously created 0.87-acre building lot with two additional acres he owned to create a 3-acre parcel and that his intent is to “remove the trees on the non wetlands portion of the property, which are within the Upland Review area.” Decilio said the cleared area would be followed later by a full site plan showing house location, drainage calculations, driveway, silt and soil erosion controls and a planting plan.
A staff wetland delineation provided earlier reported 0.465 acres of wetlands on the newly formed parcel; by contrast, a prior soil scientist’s report on the original building lot stated that the original 0.87-acre lot had no wetlands. The discrepancy prompted commissioners to ask for an updated survey and a revised wetlands report to reflect the lot-line change. Commissioner questions also requested contour lines on future plans and a functional evaluation of the wetlands when the full application is submitted.
Kelly Kerrigan, the commission’s agent, told the commission she normally handles small tree removals administratively but referred this application because it proposes clearing the entire lot: “Normally, tree removals, or smaller quantities of tree removals will handle administratively but because this is a removal of the entire property I just wanted to kick this over to the commission.”
Commissioners emphasized protections for the wetland and asked for additional information before final approval. Topics commissioners identified for the full application included test pits for septic feasibility, topographic contours, a planting plan, soil and sediment controls for any interim clearing, and a biological/functional description of the wetland (dominant species, presence/absence of vernal pools or rare species).
Decilio told the commission he has volunteered a deed restriction limiting future use to a single-family house and said he would provide updated soils and wetland documentation as requested. He also offered to install a temporary silt fence after clearing to reduce erosion.
The commission voted by voice to accept the application as complete and will schedule the item for full review at a later meeting. The acceptance was procedural only; the commission did not authorize tree-cutting or site work tonight and repeated that any clearing must avoid wetlands and comply with conditions the commission may impose.
