Abutter complaint leads Charlton commission to seek elevation verification and order stop work

The Town of Charlton Conservation Commission instructed staff to seek professional engineering verification of on-site elevations and approved a stop-work measure after an abutter complained that grading and pipe work were altering drainage and threatening a retaining wall.

Kevin Chambers, an abutter at 173 Sunset Drive, described a years-long dispute over drainage, easements and elevations and presented photographs and court-survey material he said show that a neighboring property’s grading and fill have increased elevations and altered drainage into his land. "This guy is taking land from the town, from all of us," Chambers said, describing what he called significant fill and changes to the shoreline and drainage that are now discharging onto his property.

Town staff told commissioners the town owns the stormwater pipe at issue and that the pipe had been cut; staff recommended DPW restore the pipe to its original alignment. Commissioners expressed concern about ongoing work that may be adding fill and discussed whether to issue a stop-work order while professionals verify whether the current elevations match the approved plan. The commission voted to request that the property owner and the neighbor (Bonneville) submit engineering information verifying elevations and to include a stop-work order until that information is received and reviewed.

What happens next: staff will notify the property owner and request engineered as-built elevations compared with the approved plans; DPW was authorized to restore the town-owned pipe if necessary, and the stop-work order remains in place until verification is submitted.