Commission orders debris removal at 154 Goodale Street, sets May 1 deadline; RDA to appear in February

The Peabody Conservation Commission on Jan. 9 issued an enforcement order requiring the owner/occupant of 154 Goodale Street to remove stored debris, construction materials and other items placed in the buffer/riverfront area and to file a Request for Determination of Applicability (RDA). The commission set a deadline of May 1 to remove the materials and required the applicant to appear at the February meeting with an RDA package for work that remains.

Joseph Vieira (spelled variously in the record) told the commission he had been trying to level his backyard and had placed loam and materials behind the house; he said much of the stored material was aging construction items he intended to give away or discard. The adjoining property owner (representing NFI Massachusetts) confirmed the area and said materials had been placed on the company’s lot and asked that debris be removed. The commission and staff reviewed photographs showing piles of material and apparent grade change in the wooded rear area.

Commissioners said the priority was removing debris from the adjoining owner’s lot and protecting any surviving trees; they offered to arrange an arborist inspection to evaluate tree health after cleanup. The commission recorded a roll-call vote to issue the enforcement order requiring removal of debris by May 1 and to have the owner present an RDA at the February meeting. Staff will inspect the site after cleanup to confirm compliance.

Why it matters: The order addresses alleged trespass, unauthorized fill and persistent storage in regulated buffer/riverfront areas; the commission balanced enforcement with a time-limited compliance schedule to allow the occupant to clean up.

Next steps: Owner to remove debris by May 1 and to provide an RDA package for the Feb. meeting; staff to inspect and the commission to consider arborist input once debris is removed.