Commission agrees to extend order of conditions for City Depot Road site pending staff inspection

The Town of Charlton Conservation Commission voted to extend the order of conditions for the project on City Depot Road (formerly referenced as 45 J Davis Road), subject to staff verification that stabilization and required erosion controls are in place.

Staff summarized the history: an extension issued in March 2021 had been valid through April 2024; that extension later was retroactively revived under subsequent state legislation and currently would expire in April 2026. Staff said the state left the decision to the commission and recommended that any extension be conditioned on staff inspection and compliance with EPA and Graves Engineering recommendations.

Commissioners discussed whether to impose additional conditions and whether to tie extension effectiveness to staff verification. One commissioner suggested making the extension contingent on an inspection before the extension takes effect; staff agreed to verify compliance prior to implementing the extension. The commission voted to approve the extension subject to that verification.

The commission also discussed that if the applicant files a new notice of intent now, the project would need to comply with updated stormwater regulations; staff noted that some existing stormwater features predate current rules and that the applicant may need to make substantial updates to meet present standards.

What happens next: staff will inspect the site, verify compliance with the stabilization items noted in EPA and engineering reports, and report back; the extension will be conditioned on that verification before it becomes effective.