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Norwich commission approves 36‑unit multifamily project with temporary wetland crossing
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Summary
The commission approved Sharra Construction’s application for a 36‑unit apartment building plus four townhomes on merged parcels at 612 & 620 West Thames Street, including a temporary sanitary sewer crossing that will cause temporary wetland impacts and a $56,300 estimated erosion control bond.
The Inland Wetlands and Watercourses Commission voted to approve an application from Sharra Construction Corporation to develop a 5.9‑acre site at 612 and 620 West Thames Street into two residential buildings: a 36‑unit, three‑story apartment building and four two‑bedroom townhomes with garages.
Brandon Hanfield, a professional engineer representing the applicant, described the plan and the site. He said the larger building would contain 36 units (25 one‑bedroom units and 11 two‑bedroom units) and that Building B would include four two‑bedroom townhome units with garages. The proposal merges two parcels into a single 5.9‑acre parcel and uses an existing easement from Cove View Towers for access; the driveway will be 20 feet wide where it crosses the easement to minimize impacts adjacent to wetlands.
Hanfield described stormwater measures including pervious parking, a rain garden, and a detention basin sized to retain the project’s water‑quality volume for roughly 90% of rainfall events before metered discharge through an outlet structure and riprap splash pad. He said sanitary sewer would require a temporary wetland crossing where native soils would be excavated and stockpiled, a temporary pipe installed, then soils replaced and a wetland seed mix installed. The applicant reported about 2 acres of total disturbance for construction clearing and submitted a bond estimate for erosion controls; the engineer identified the bond at $56,300.
Commissioners asked about plant materials to be removed in the upland review area; Hanfield said the site contains a mix of vegetation with patches of invasive species and that clearing would follow the original development footprint rather than extend into mature tree stands. He said passive recreation areas will remain largely uncleared and that an owner/operator will be responsible for operations and maintenance, with an O&M plan included in the submission stating routine inspections and annual cleaning of outlet structures and weirs.
The commission first voted that the activity was not a significant activity requiring a hearing and then approved the application with staff conditions and standard erosion controls. Staff noted coordination with city engineering and that comments from the city engineer were sent to staff earlier in the day.
