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Neighbors urge action after year‑old lawn‑care fire and resumed pile storage
Summary
A resident told the council a lawn‑care/composting property that burned last year remains active and has large piles of material on site; he asked the council to verify grandfathering claims, zoning compliance and take steps to reduce fire risk.
At the Oct. 27 meeting, Drake Patton raised renewed safety concerns about a property on Natick Avenue where a fire last year forced neighborhood evacuation. Patton said he stood next to large piles of material on the site and urged the city to investigate whether the business is operating as a farm, a composting facility, or an unpermitted industrial operation; he argued state law and local zoning make those distinctions determinative for required permits.
Patton told the council that aerial imagery and prior committee discussion allowed the city to check grandfathering claims and that legal and zoning staff have already received updated research. “One year later, we are at risk for another fire,” he said, and asked the council to use its permitting and enforcement authority to resolve the situation.
Council did not announce immediate enforcement action on the record; Patton asked that the city follow up with a professional review of permits and zoning status.
