Commission orders immediate stabilization after neighbors, staff report unpermitted grading at 24½ North Central Street; owner withdraws RDA

Neighbors told the Peabody Conservation Commission they were alarmed after contractors began excavating in the buffer to a nearby wetland at a property on North Central Street, and conservation staff said the work proceeded after the owner had been told to stop.

Why it matters: Commission staff described substantial soil disturbance and removal of vegetation in the buffer zone, including three unearthed boulders shown in photographs. Residents warned the altered grades were channeling surface water toward adjacent yards and wetlands and said the site was being changed without the required engineering or permit filings.

Staff and resident accounts: Conservation Agent Lucia reported she discovered active earthwork on July 22 and ordered the crew to stop; she returned the next day to find more excavation had occurred. Lucia told the commission “they did work before they got the permit this week.” Neighbors described large volumes of soil removed and said the site owner persisted after being told to cease operations.

Commission action: The commission voted unanimously, 7–0, to issue an enforcement order requiring immediate stabilization measures. The verbal requirements included installation of erosion-control matting over all exposed soils, placement of a silt sock along the front of the property, seeding with annual rye to establish quick cover, and removal of excavated material from the site. The commission also instructed staff to require before-and-after grade surveys and post-stabilization soil test pits and groundwater checks at the applicant’s expense.

Withdrawal and next steps: The applicant formally withdrew the Request for Determination on the record. The enforcement order (motion carried 7–0) was moved by Commissioner Athas and seconded by Commissioner Vivaldi. The commission said it will not consider any permitting for the site until the stabilization work is completed, verified by staff site inspection, and the required engineering documentation is filed.

Neighbor concerns and possible follow-up: Neighbors supplied time-stamped video and multiple photographs documenting excavation and said stockpiled materials were left on-site; the commission asked that the applicant provide maintenance reports, a detailed engineered plan, and test pit results in advance of any new filing. Lucia will prepare a written enforcement order to formalize the verbal direction given at the hearing.