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Conservation commission requires gravel stabilization after repair to drainage at 354 Main Street
Summary
The Somersworth Conservation Commission voted to condition its recommendation for a conditional use permit at 354 Main Street on stabilization with gravel after a PVC drainage repair, following review of photos and a code compliance notice.
The Somersworth Conservation Commission voted to condition its recommendation on stabilization with gravel after reviewing a conditional use permit request and a code compliance notice concerning a preexisting PVC drainage pipe at 354 Main Street.
Applicant Andy said the drainage feature is essentially a manmade ditch used for building drainage and that the requested work was to reconnect a displaced PVC pipe and re-cover the trench. He told the commission he believed the feature to be "grandfathered in" and that the repair would not increase environmental impact.
"We do have previous, records of showing that it's a manmade, wetland area," Andy said during his presentation, and he described the work as reconnecting existing pipe rather than installing new drainage.
Commissioners examined photos and a notice of violation issued by code enforcement. The commission discussed the linear extent of the repair (applicant estimated about 40 linear feet), whether pavement had been removed in places, and how best to stabilize the disturbance to prevent erosion and future damage to the pipe. Several commissioners advised that seeding in the compacted area might not establish well and suggested gravel as a practical stabilization measure. One commissioner said the disturbed area "might be worth seeding over," but others responded that compaction made seeding unlikely to succeed.
Commissioner David moved to amend the commission's recommendation to require gravel (described in the meeting as "grama" or gravel) over the repair area rather than requiring new hot-top paving; the motion was seconded and carried. Commissioners also noted the pipe had been reconnected and was flowing, and they recorded that vegetation disturbance had been limited to placement of backfill and gravel. The commission did not require seeding as a condition.
The commission's action was a recommendation that will be forwarded to the Planning Board as part of the CUP review; the Planning Board or permitting authority will make any final permit determinations and additional conditions.
