Developers remove riprap, replace with wetland seed mix after DEP comment in Woburn Arrow Realty hearing

Civil Design Consultants and the owner of 1 Arrow Realty LLC revisited a Notice of Intent on Oct. 10 to address comments from the Department of Environmental Protection that riprap previously extended onto the stream bank.

Mira Cousins said the team eliminated riprap that encroached on the bank at existing and proposed outfalls and will use a New England wetland seed mix to provide natural stabilization. The firm evaluated the project against the five performance standards for bank work and concluded that the minor grading and seeding will have no adverse impact to the bank. Cousins said the riprap originally proposed was unnecessary because the modeled flow velocity from the proposed outfall is under the riprap threshold of 5 feet per second.

Commissioners asked about the linear feet of bank alteration (one commissioner parsed the submitted materials as 8 and 7 linear feet for existing and proposed outfalls, respectively, and Cousins confirmed the combined total). A commissioner asked whether a specific planting plan was provided; the consultant pointed to details on drawing D1 where the wetland seed mix is specified and said seeding (not plantings) would be used for stabilization.

The public hearing was reopened to address DEP concerns and the commission discussed next steps for review. Commissioners requested the planting/seeding details be clear in the record and indicated they would review the updated plan sheets before issuing any decision within their standard timeframe.