Inland Wetlands commission approves three single‑family home applications with erosion‑control conditions

The Inland Wetlands and Watercourses Commission on March 5 approved three applications to build new single‑family homes in upland review areas, finding the projects are not significant activities and attaching conditions intended to protect adjacent wetlands.

Bob DeLuca of CLA Engineers presented two Canterbury Turnpike applications for Integrity Properties Group, saying one lot contains no wetlands but is within the regulated upland review area because of wetlands on the adjacent parcel and that the other lot includes a nearby forested wetland. "There's about a 2,000 square foot of disturbance in the upland review area" for the first lot, DeLuca said. For the lot that contains the wetland, soil scientist Bob Russo estimated "about 7,000 square feet" of activity and described the wetland as a red‑maple swamp fed by a seasonal high water table that discharges subsurface flow to the adjacent property.

Dan, the commission's agent, told commissioners that the city engineer had reviewed the plans and that the proposed erosion‑and‑sediment controls are sufficient if the applicants add clearly marked limits of disturbance and show tree‑clearing limits on revised plans. "Please add the signature of the wetland soil scientist to certify the revised final plan set and shade the areas of disturbance in the upland area," Dan said.

Commissioner Brandon Heiden moved that each application be deemed not a significant activity and then moved to approve them with staff conditions; Pete Shalecki seconded both motions. The commission approved both Canterbury Turnpike applications unanimously, and the approval for the lot containing the wetland included a condition that the property owner place at least three tags on trees along the wetland edge "identifying the wetland area," a requirement intended to alert future owners to the boundary.

Norm Thibault of Killingly Engineering Associates presented a third application for a 1.3‑acre parcel on Sabrina's Court proposing roughly 9,500 square feet of activity in the regulated upland review area. Thibault said the lot will be served by a drilled well and an on‑site septic system sited outside the regulated area; the plan calls for silt fencing around clearing limits. Commissioners again found the proposal not a significant activity, required the same staff‑requested plan revisions and approved the application unanimously.

The commission made a point of recording for the minutes that the erosion‑and‑sediment controls as proposed were judged sufficient to protect wetlands on adjoining properties and asked applicants to submit revised plans showing clearing limits and the wetland scientist's certification. No members voted against the motions.

The commission adjourned after receiving a report that no new wetland violations were active at this time.