Torrington wetland crossing approved for Highland Avenue home with rain‑garden condition

The Torrington Inland Wetlands Commission voted April 7 to grant Wetlands Permit WP26‑1 to applicant Riley Shredders for a single‑family house and driveway crossing at 1685 Highland Avenue, approving the crossing with several site‑specific conditions intended to reduce wetland impacts. The permit approval follows a continuation of a public hearing that focused on grading, channel flow and alternatives to reduce fill in the wetland.

Commissioners and staff said revised plans submitted after the prior hearing show two 15‑inch pipes at the crossing, a note changing erosion controls from hay to straw bales, and seed mixes for restoration. Nate Nardy Cyrus, the town’s wetlands enforcement officer and assistant city planner, told the commission staff had asked for a cross‑section showing the pipe installation and additional documentation of grades so the panel could evaluate feasible alternatives.

Commissioner Christine Alton, who said she conducted two sitewalks of the property, described the wetland as “hummicky, very mossy” with multiple micro‑channels and two primary channels; she said videos she recorded and emailed to staff make it clear that the proposed crossing would impound surface flow and alter channel routing. “I took videos, which I sent to Nate,” Alton said during the meeting, arguing the driveway could be relocated slightly to take advantage of a single existing channel and reduce the amount of wetlands filled.

The commission debated mitigation options including (a) aligning culverts so each main channel has a dedicated pipe, (b) shortening culvert length by providing headwall detailing at the crossing, and (c) providing compensatory wetlands or an engineered rain garden. Staff reported the preferred design would disturb about 2,400 square feet of wetlands, while an alternative alignment would disturb roughly 1,400 square feet — a difference of about 1,000 square feet.

To address those concerns, the commission’s approval includes a set of conditions: replace the proposed infiltrator with a rain garden designed to retain runoff from a 1.3‑inch rainfall event at the infiltrator’s location, with final species mix and design to be approved by town staff; install two culverts positioned to match the two main channels; limit any wetland crossing construction to the June–September work window; install the crossing before other site disturbance to reduce unintended impacts; and mark the surveyed wetland boundary with metal markers per the enforcement officer’s specifications. The permit also carries the commission’s standard conditions for restoration and monitoring.

The decision closes a hearing that centered on whether the applicant had demonstrated the absence of a feasible and prudent alternative to the proposed crossing and whether on‑site compensation or design refinements could avoid or reduce wetland loss. The commission moved to close the public hearing, voted to grant the permit with the staff‑approved rain‑garden condition and related conditions, and the motion carried.

Votes at a glance • WP26‑1 (1685 Highland Ave, Riley Shredders) — Approved with conditions (includes rain‑garden requirement sized to 1.3 in; two culverts aligned to channels; seasonal work window; boundary markers). The motion carried. • WP26‑5 (660 Tor Street, William Clark) — Permit granted with standard conditions plus site‑specific conditions: follow recommendations of structural/culvert inspection report; mark surveyed wetland easement boundaries; place boulders or delineators along critical edges; certify bridge/culvert work by a structural engineer; remove debris near wetlands; approve rain‑garden plant list with enforcement officer; use straw bales. The motion carried. • WP26‑4 (646 Torrinford Street, William Clark) — Application accepted as non‑significant; no public hearing required. • WP26‑6 (2904 Winston Road, Martin Connor) — Application accepted for review; commission scheduled a sitewalk and will determine whether the activity is significant after the site visit. The application addresses prior unauthorized pipe extension and proposes a 2,500 sq ft wetlands restoration as compensatory mitigation. • WP26‑7 (1858 East Main Street, Torington Fair Plaza/Walmart Plaza) — Emergency retaining‑wall repair accepted as non‑significant; commission noted the plan estimates about 4,000 sq ft of temporary wetland disturbance largely confined to an existing filled road bed; work may commence under emergency repair authority, subject to final wetlands conditions.

What it means The commission balanced minimizing onsite wetland fill with practical design constraints raised by the engineer and applicant. Requiring an engineered rain garden in place of the proposed infiltrator — and requiring culverts be placed to match natural channels — was the commission’s compromise to allow the house and crossing while aiming to limit hydrologic disruption and provide compensatory ecological function. The permit requires final design review and approval by town staff before construction.

Next steps The permit for 1685 Highland Avenue is conditioned on submission of the rain‑garden design and final culvert placement for review and approval by the town wetlands agent; commissioners also required marked wetland boundaries and a construction sequence to minimize impacts. Other accepted permits will proceed under their stated conditions; WP26‑6 will receive a determination of significance after a scheduled sitewalk.