Commission presses for alternatives as 176 Concord ADU proposal places sewer sleeve inside 100‑ft buffer

At its March 25 meeting the Westford Conservation Commission continued review of a notice of intent for a detached accessory dwelling unit at 176 Concord Road after a substantive discussion about septic connections inside the 100‑foot wetland buffer.

Matt Marrone (environmental consultant) and contractor and applicants described the ADU location and the septic layout. Alexandra "Ali" Walter, who spoke on behalf of the applicants, said the ADU location was constrained by setbacks, the in‑ground pool and lot geometry. The team told the commission the Board of Health had issued a permit that requires sleeving of a short section of building sewer that lies within the 100‑foot buffer; the applicants proposed complying with that permit and using a sleeve as an accommodation.

Commissioners pressed the applicants to provide a written alternatives analysis demonstrating all steps taken to locate the ADU outside the buffer and to document the material and construction details of the sleeve. One commissioner said they rarely grant relief for new construction inside the buffer and asked the applicants to "demonstrate that it absolutely couldn't happen any other way." The commission asked for a narrative describing site constraints, the septic designer's rationale and the sleeve material, and requested a draft order of conditions for the next meeting. The hearing was continued to April 8.

Next steps: applicants will provide a narrative of alternatives considered, material specifics for the sewer sleeve and a draft order of conditions for commission review on April 8.