The Norwich Inland Wetlands and Watercourses Commission voted to withdraw a notice of violation for unauthorized land disturbance at 18 Brownwood Lane after testimony and staff review indicated the landscape pond was self‑contained and located outside the commission’s 100‑foot upland review area.

At the show‑cause hearing, a resident identified in the record as the property owner of 18 Brownwood Lane described constructing a water feature in 2022 using stones found on the lot. The owner said the feature is “about 25 feet diameter” and “about 4, 5 feet” deep, and described it as a landscape pond built near a patio and vegetable garden to provide a water feature. “I made the little stone padding… I felt a little water feature as a part of my landscape would accentuate or bring in a nice ambiance,” the owner said.

Commission staff and members reviewed aerial imagery from 2016, 2019 and 2022 and photographs the owner provided. The record showed Norwich Public Works performed drainage work along the adjacent cul‑de‑sac that was completed on October 15, 2021, which altered surface drainage in the area. The owner and staff agreed the drainage work and an intermittent channel nearby are separate from the constructed pond.

Dan (staff member) framed the technical question for the commission: whether the pond’s installation occurred inside the regulated 100‑foot upland review area. Commissioner Doug Lee said, “I would say based off GIS alone, no,” and commissioners agreed the pond did not fall within the upland review area based on staff materials and GIS mapping.

On that basis a motion was made on behalf of the commission to withdraw the violation; Commissioner Doug Lee seconded the motion. The vote carried and the commission instructed staff to send the owner a letter documenting the decision.

The commission noted the ruling is limited to the inland‑wetlands jurisdictional question and does not address other public‑works or private utility issues raised in the owner’s testimony, including a collapsed clay pipe the owner reported. The owner was told to expect a written notice from commission staff documenting the withdrawal of the violation.