Applicant asks Stratford wetlands commission to lift cease‑and‑desist for Silver Lane church work; commission tables pending engineer review

Attorney Stephen Bellas asked the Stratford Inland Wetlands Commission on April 12 to terminate a cease‑and‑desist order that halted remodeling work at a church linked to a larger Silver Lane condominium project. Bellas said the only active work was on the church "217 feet away from the wetlands," and said the applicant had submitted a petition to modify the wetlands permit to align the commission’s permit with prior zoning approvals.

The request followed prior approvals by zoning and an earlier permit from the commission; Bellas told the commission the project was approved “saying that there was no adverse impact on the wetlands” and that the work on the church involved only remodeling rather than construction in the upland review area. He also said the applicant had posted a soil and erosion control bond with town staff even though the applicant believed the bond requirement properly arose through zoning.

Town counsel told commissioners that local regulations must be followed and that the commission’s regulations are model regulations consistent with state guidance; Superintendent Kelly (Kelly Kerrigan) said she had provided comments and had received updated responses that she had not yet had time to review. Commissioners repeatedly cited the need for the town engineer, John Casey, to complete his review of revised drainage calculations before the commission could safely authorize changes to the permit or remove the cease‑and‑desist.

Jason Edwards, the applicant’s engineer, walked the commission through technical revisions including updated drainage‑area maps, added hydrodynamic separators, minor elevation changes to outlet piping, added sumps and erosion control for the church phase, and relocation of sewer laterals to Silver Lane. Edwards said the revised impervious‑area calculations and additional measures did not increase work within the Upland Review Area and that previously proposed homes had been pulled out of that area.

Commissioners discussed whether the commission could issue a permit conditioned on other departments’ approvals. Town counsel cautioned against issuing a permit that is effectively contingent on another commission’s later changes because the permit should include plans that match the permit document. Given outstanding questions and the town engineer’s pending review, the commission voted to table the Silver Lane item until John Casey completes his comments.

The commission did not take a final vote on the requested termination of the cease‑and‑desist. Next procedural steps are the town engineer’s review of revised plans and a future commission meeting to consider the applicant’s permit modification.