Norwood Conservation Commission members voted Dec. 18 to close a public hearing and issue a Negative Determination of Applicability for a parking-lot repaving project at 568–580 Pleasant Street tied to RDA Norwood 2024-23.

The commission took up a request from an applicant identified in the filing as Compete Fitness, represented at the hearing by Dan Campbell of Level Design Group, for repaving, repair and restriping of an existing parking area that partly lies inside the 200-foot riverfront zone associated with the Neponset River. Tom Schutz, a wetland scientist with Goddard Consulting, reported that field sampling at three data points found no wetland hydrology and no dominance of wetland vegetation; he concluded the off-site area flagged on state mapping did not meet wetland criteria.

The commission’s agent, Carly Rocklin, told members the site has dark, organic-rich soils and some plants often seen in wet settings but said delineating wetlands in winter can be difficult and that she still had questions about one area indicated on the DEP/MassGIS mapping. "I think there is still a question about that area," Rocklin said. Schutz replied that his field sheets and soil pits showed no redox features and did not meet two of the three required Massachusetts wetland criteria, and that he did not find wetland resource areas on the property.

Commissioners asked for additional documentation before final sign-off on related permit paperwork. Rocklin requested a copy of the stormwater calculations and noted the commission’s bylaws call for an alternatives analysis for riverfront-area work. The applicant said the full stormwater report had been submitted to the Planning Board as part of an earlier site-plan process and that the planning board had reviewed it; the applicant also said the current work would not modify the drainage system and that, overall, the site plan reduces runoff at the control point draining to the rear.

Project specifics presented at the hearing included an 803-square-foot net increase in impervious surface overall, three new large deciduous trees and 10 evergreen trees to be planted, and installation of islands and additional landscaping to replace open gravel areas. The applicant said there will be no fill within the riverfront area, that the area inside the 200-foot buffer would not be enlarged, and that the paving in the small rear corner (approximately 300 square feet) could be omitted if the commission required it. For erosion control, the applicant proposed sediment sacks at three catch basins and offered to install a sediment-wattle along the rear wall if requested; the plan also uses CDS (catch-basin treatment) units prior to discharge.

After discussion, a member moved to close the public hearing and issue a Negative Determination. A roll-call vote recorded Stephen Washburn, Catherine Walsh, Anil Persaud and Kelsey Quinlan voting in favor; the motion carried and the commission issued the Negative Determination of Applicability for RDA Norwood 2024-23.

The hearing record shows the commission asked staff to provide the planning-board stormwater documentation and to confirm the alternatives analysis requirement is satisfied. The applicant said it filed the RDA because the Planning Board had made RDA submittal a condition of site-plan approval; the applicant also stated that if the commission had imposed a positive determination, they would exclude the small rear corner from paving.

Votes at a glance: Negative Determination of Applicability (RDA Norwood 2024-23) — Outcome: approved (roll call: Washburn Aye; Walsh Aye; Persaud Aye; Quinlan Aye).