Hampden conservation commission reviews landfill fence, approves extension and several permits; enforcement discussed

Steve McDonough, a developer with Amaresco, told the Town of Hampden Conservation Commission the fence installed around the company’s solar-plus-battery project at the Hampden landfill was placed five feet off the landfill cap and outside the 25-foot wetland buffer and asked the commission to approve the as-built location.

McDonough said the change came after construction crews determined the fence could not be mounted with posts on the landfill cap and used ballasted concrete blocks instead. “That was an oversight on our part,” McDonough said, referring to failing to bring the revised fence location to the commission before installation.

The commission agreed to conduct a site visit and to take the item up again at its next meeting, continuing the matter for two weeks. Commissioners instructed staff to place the revised plan in the file and to schedule the site inspection; the motion to continue carried with verbal “Aye” votes.

Why this matters: The commission’s review determines whether the installed fence and any associated work comply with the Wetlands Protection Act and the Town of Hampden wetland bylaw and the earlier order of conditions for the…