The Southborough Conservation Commission continued a public hearing on a Notice of Intent for replacement of a golf-course underground irrigation system at 36 Cordova Road.

The applicant proposes a one-for-one replacement of the existing irrigation system. Bill Cundiff, Town of Southborough Department of Public Works, said the 55-acre property was acquired by the town about 25 years ago and is subject to a conservation restriction that limits some work; the current irrigation system is aging and requires frequent repairs. “The scope of the project is to simply, 1 for 1, replace the existing irrigation system with a new proposed irrigation system,” Cundiff said.

Commission staff and members focused on potential impacts to wetlands and to the 20-foot no-work buffer zone. Cundiff told the commission that wetland delineation was done April 8 by a consultant and described two locations where the line of work crosses existing culverts; the project would add 1–2 feet of fill over some culvert locations to protect pipes and to carry the irrigation line. He said the submittal reported 71,726 square feet of disturbance in the 100-foot buffer (about 2,500 square feet of that permanent fill) and 69,721 square feet of temporary disturbance tied to trenching and installation; within the local 20-foot no-work zone the filing lists 6,683 square feet of disturbance (1,815 square feet permanent and 4,868 square feet temporary).

Conservation members asked about erosion controls and whether silt fencing/wattles could be placed outside the 20-foot no-work zone where feasible; Cundiff agreed to modify drawings so erosion-control limits are pulled back where possible. Commission members also emphasized that approval under the town’s wetland regulations does not substitute for permission from the conservation-restriction holder. Melissa (Conservation Agent) said Sudbury Valley Trustees (SVT), the co-holder identified in the conservation restriction, has not yet issued formal comment and that SVT is the party with authority under the restriction to approve replacement, so the applicant or the town needs to request SVT sign-off. Cundiff said he planned to seek the commission’s endorsement before formally requesting SVT approval.

The commission voted to continue the hearing to the commission’s next meeting to allow time to receive SVT feedback and to finalize plan edits requested by staff.

The commission’s review is limited to the Wetlands Protection Act and the town’s wetland bylaw; staff reminded members that issuance of an Order of Conditions under the commission’s jurisdiction would not itself satisfy any requirement under the conservation restriction held by SVT.

The commission’s actions were procedural: the hearing was continued and no permit was issued.

Background: the application includes multiple crossings over existing culverts within buffer zones and proposes temporary trenching and permanent fill at crossing points. SVT is the co-holder of the property’s conservation restriction and must separately approve any activity allowed by the restriction.