Conservation commission agrees standard language for easement boundary markers to use in future approvals

At the March 27 meeting the Manchester Conservation Commission reviewed proposed standard language for boundary markers used in conservation easements and as wetland demarcation and agreed on a recommended template to use when the commission makes conditions on plans or reviews easement language.

Commission members discussed specific provisions: whether the grantor (the landowner/developer) or grantee (the conservation body) should be responsible for placing markers at a recorded easement boundary, the size of the markers and the spacing between markers. Commissioners noted prior practice had generally required placards no more than 50 feet apart. Members proposed language that (a) places responsibility on the grantor to install boundary markers at the time an easement or plan condition is recorded, and (b) retains the commission’s ability to require maintenance or replacement if markers are missing later. The group agreed that markers should be no more than 50 feet apart; marker size and final template text will be carried forward as the commission’s reference language.

Commissioners and staff said the template will be kept on file and used as a standard checklist when easements or planning conditions are reviewed. They noted that for existing easements any change to recorded deed language would require the grantor’s agreement, so the template is intended to apply to new easements and future conditions. The commission indicated the language should be effective as of March 27, 2025, and available to planning staff and applicants as a standard for future filings.