Commission approves amended order of conditions for 221 Fieldstone Lane with replication and invasive-species controls

The Conservation Commission voted July 7 to approve an amended order of conditions for 221 Fieldstone Lane that closes out longstanding enforcement issues related to additional patio and landscape work completed without a certificate of compliance.

Brian Butler of Oxbow Associates, representing the owner, summarized work on the property and said only a small triangular area northwest of the house qualified as an altered wetland requiring replication. “My recommendation is that that should be recognized as an altered area and replication area required for that,” Butler said.

Engineer Ken Modoff described a mitigation scheme to address added impervious surface and stormwater. The plan uses a planted rain-garden-style filter adjacent to the patio and modified soils in existing planters to capture runoff and meet the site esign water-quality volume. Modoff said the replication area is about 251 square feet and will be planted with a wetland seed mix and native shrubs, including highbush blueberry.

The applicant also proposed removing a monotypic stand of Japanese knotweed and installing a fence to protect the restored lawn area. Modoff said eradication of the knotweed is central to the ecological success of the restoration planting.

Commission staff recommended approving the revised plan with the added replication area. A motion to approve the amended order carried after a roll-call vote. The transcript records affirmative votes but does not list a full roll-call tally on the record.

What’s required: the approval is conditioned on the revised plan and replication planting for the 251-square-foot altered area, implementation of the rain garden and invasive-species control, and submission of the revised stamped plans to the conservation office.

Speakers quoted: Brian Butler, Oxbow Associates; Ken Modoff, field engineering (presenter).