Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Trail Development topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Torrington commission grants wetlands permit for Red Mountain Trail parking and multiuse trail
Summary
The commission approved a wetlands permit for a multiuse trail from Goodwin Street to Newfield Road, including a small parking area and drainage work; one commissioner abstained from the vote.
The Torrington Inland Wetlands Commission voted June 16 to grant a wetlands permit for construction of a multiuse trail linking Goodwin Street to Newfield Road and a small parking area at the end of Goodwin Street.
The project, sponsored by Paul Bedzins and prepared by environmental consultants at SLR, is funded in part by a Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection trails grant; Matt Ormerod of SLR described revisions made since earlier reviews, including replacement of a damaged pipe at the proposed parking area and an approach to preserve hydrologic connectivity at the northern trail terminus using catch basins under the trail.
Staff and the applicant reported the plans reduce direct wetland impacts from about 3,500 square feet to about 1,300 square feet through the revised drainage design, and propose native-seed mixes and trees to restore disturbed areas and replace invasive species. The plan includes an inlet with an 8–12-inch reinforced concrete pipe and riprap apron at the parking area, and a series of subsurface catch basins at the trail terminus to maintain existing overflow elevations and minimize channelization.
Commissioners accepted the application as not a significant activity and moved to grant the wetlands permit. The motion passed; one commissioner, who joined late to the meeting, abstained from the vote. The application will also proceed through the planning-and-zoning public-hearing process already underway for the project.
Matt Ormerod and applicant Paul Bedzins said the planting plan includes a New England conservation/wildlife seed mix for upland areas and a wetland seed mix for directly impacted areas, about 30,000–31,000 square feet in total to be seeded. They also proposed eastern red cedar plantings for wildlife and screening at the parking area. The city engineer reviewed the inlet and erosion-control details, staff said.
The commission’s approval allows the project to move forward with the grant-funded trail construction, subject to conditions and coordination with planning and zoning.
