Council of Social Concern seeks to replace playground in riparian buffer; commission requests updated maintenance plan

The Woburn Conservation Commission on July 24 reviewed a proposal from the Council of Social Concern to replace playground equipment and upgrade drainage at its Merrimack Street site. The applicants say the current playground, installed in the early 2000s, sits inside the 100‑foot riparian buffer; the proposal replaces equipment within the existing footprint and regrades the area so stormwater drains to an existing basin.

Neil Sander, president of Independence Engineering and engineer of record, told the commission the project would not increase impervious area and that the applicant had submitted a stormwater checklist to DEP. "We are taking an old playground and replacing it. We're not changing the footprint of the, impervious area," Sander said. He said the surface will change from rubber mulch to a more durable rubber hard surface and the fence will be replaced with a 7‑foot vinyl fence.

Nearby residents spoke at the hearing, urging stronger assurances for long‑term basin maintenance and raising noise and use‑hour concerns. David Bosnold, who lives behind the site, said maintenance historically has been inconsistent and said he lacked confidence the basin would be properly maintained going forward: "I have no faith that they're gonna maintain the basin properly going forward because they haven't shown that over the past 20 years," Bosnold said.

Representatives for the Council said recent cleanups had removed underbrush and that, if the project moves forward, the applicant intends to remove stumps and large invasive growth to restore the basin. Marshall White of White Builders said the council’s current executive director "has been there since 2022" and has undertaken building and site repairs since taking the post.

Commissioners focused on the operation and maintenance (O&M) plan for the basin, noting the existing plan dates to 2002. They requested an updated O&M plan consistent with current stormwater standards, including inspection and reporting schedules, and an illicit‑discharge compliance statement. The applicant requested a continuance to gather the requested documentation; the commission continued the public hearing to Aug. 21, 2025.

Commissioners also suggested conditioning the project so the basin receives periodic maintenance and so that any invasive species removal is performed by mechanical means where possible. The council agreed to provide an updated O&M plan and the illicit‑discharge statement to the commission ahead of the continued hearing.