Fall River conservation panel conditionally clears plan for 48‑unit Hyde Development pending drainage review

Jeff Tolman of Northeast Engineers and Consultants presented a plan for three 12‑unit buildings — 48 units total — at a site that drains toward Mount Hope Bay and overlaps mapped wetland areas. Tolman said the design relies on multiple underground infiltration systems and a retaining wall along the 25‑foot no‑disturb buffer to avoid encroaching into the bordering vegetated wetland.

Dan Aguilar, the conservation agent, told commissioners the soils on the upland portions were marginal for infiltration and noted the team had completed seven test pits; staff said drainage calculations are under review by the site plan review committee. Commissioners and staff repeatedly flagged the need to reconcile this site’s wetland delineation with nearby delineations (including the Marlone project) and to confirm the location and hydraulics of a 30‑inch culvert that may affect the wetland boundary.

Tolman described the proposed drainage approach as three independent infiltration systems sized to control post‑development runoff and said he expects minor plan adjustments during site‑plan review. A commissioner clarified the project is 48 units (not 36); Tolman confirmed 48 units. Staff recommended issuing conditional orders to “lock in” a limit of work and allow the applicant to proceed through site plan review, while continuing final determination of the wetland line and drainage review.

The commission did not record a final permit decision on the night’s agenda item; its action was to recommend conditional order(s) and to require the outstanding drainage reviews, legal notices and reconciliation of delineations before final approvals or resource‑area determinations. The next procedural step is the site plan review and completion of drainage comments and field verification.