Developer revises Goose Fair Crossing plan; board schedules site walk and Feb. 17 hearing amid E1 sewer and wetland questions

A substantial proposal for Goose Fair Crossing (3 Jenkins Road) drew extended discussion Jan. 6 as the applicant presented a reworked plan and engineering responses.

Tim Mitchell (Teradyne Consultants) described a larger application area (approx. 9.9 acres) and said the design was amended from a 12‑lot proposal to an 8‑lot plan featuring townhouse units, more open space and a redesigned stormwater approach. The project would cross Goose Fair Brook and proposes a concrete open‑bottom culvert for the crossing and directional boring for an E1 private pressure sewer force main beneath the stream. Mitchell said DEP permits and a hydrologic review are in process; he also noted a proposed $28,000 urban impaired‑stream compensation fee to address Goose Fair Brook mitigation.

Board members asked detailed questions about the proposed private E1 force main (maintenance, failure modes, long‑term reliability), capacity and connection to the municipal sewer (the applicant said the terminal manhole on Jenkins Road would be used), and the tradeoffs of constructing a longer dead‑end road to reach upland buildable area. Members asked for WRID (water/wastewater) feedback on existing private E1 systems and requested more information on long‑term maintenance obligations if the road becomes city‑accepted but the sewer remains privately owned.

Given the technical issues and the need for Conservation Commission input on wetlands, the board scheduled a site walk for Wednesday, Jan. 21 at 8:00 a.m. and set a continued public hearing and application review for Feb. 17, 2026 to allow staff, the conservation commission and the applicant to address engineering and environmental comments.