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New England Power’s Rees Ave. drainage and access project conditionally approved with tree-count requirement
Summary
The commission closed the public hearing on New England Power’s Notice of Intent for access improvements and a stormwater detention basin at 32–41 Rees Ave, approved the planting plan as submitted and required the applicant to provide tree removal counts and caliper measurements as a condition of the City of Lowell standard order of conditions.
The Lowell Conservation Commission closed the public hearing and voted Jan. 28 to issue the City of Lowell standard order of conditions for a New England Power Company project at 32–41 Rees Ave, subject to conditions including submission of tree removal counts and caliper measurements.
Bridget Hilgendorf of VHB, representing New England Power, outlined revisions since an October meeting and said the project team "recently submitted a planting plan, which includes a mix of native shrubs and trees" intended to supply compensatory flood storage and offset tree removal. She also noted some trees on site were removed or will be removed to maintain the required clearance from power lines.
Commissioners praised the level of detail in the planting plan but asked for a formal tally that ties removed-tree caliper to replacement plantings. Commissioner (Unidentified Speaker 1) and others said a condition requiring the applicant to submit the number of trees removed and caliper measurements should be added to the order of conditions. Commissioner (Unidentified Speaker 3) moved to issue the standard order of conditions with that condition; the motion passed on a voice vote.
Why it matters: The project involves compensatory flood storage, stormwater management and vegetation changes adjacent to a bordering vegetated wetland; the condition ensures tree removal is documented and matched with appropriate replacement plantings.
What’s next: New England Power (via VHB) must file the requested tree-count and caliper information as a condition of the Commission’s order.
