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Planning Board asks town engineer to review DEM wetlands application for proposed home
Summary
The board reviewed DEM application 24‑0030 (John R. Leone) proposing a four‑bedroom house affecting wetlands buffers; members who visited the site flagged buffer proximity and asked town engineer Jim Jeremiah to provide technical review and comments to DEM within the 45‑day comment period.
The Planning Board discussed a Department of Environmental Management wetlands application (DEM 24‑0030) submitted for assessor’s lots in New Shoreham by applicant John R. Leone, seeking permission to alter freshwater wetlands to construct a four‑bedroom dwelling and related site work.
Members who walked the site reported multiple vegetated buffer zones (classified on the map as A/B/C series and general wetland buffer) and said proposed driveway, septic and house locations appeared very close to or within the mapped buffers. One member said on the record that, based on map measurements, they “could not find a spot on this map where the construction would fall 100 feet from those buffer zones,” and questioned whether the parcel was developable as proposed.
Staff and members clarified that DEM determines wetland type and applicable state buffer/setback standards, while the planning board’s role in this referral is to provide local knowledge about site features and environmental impacts. Board members said they lacked sufficient technical information in the packet (elevations, floor plans, a clearer zoning/plan review form) to evaluate zoning compliance.
The board agreed to request a technical review: members asked that the town engineer’s office (Jim Jeremiah) and other town technical experts examine the submitted materials and provide comments to DEM within the 45‑day notice period. The Board also asked that staff request additional DEM submittals (clearer maps and engineering/site details) so the town can assess zoning and septic implications before making a formal recommendation.
