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Brookfield wetlands commission approves two remediation permits, instructs follow-up on enforcement case
Summary
At its Nov. 24 meeting the Brookfield Inland Wetlands Commission approved permits for 31 Obtuse Road (W-25-65) and 107 Veil Road (W-25-66), required wetland plantings and map updates, and directed staff to pursue compliance on an enforcement matter where fallen logs and some tree work raised buffer concerns.
The Brookfield Inland Wetlands Commission on Nov. 24 approved two permit actions and directed follow-up on an enforcement case after staff visited several sites and reviewed updated maps.
The commission unanimously approved application W-25-65 for 31 Obtuse Road South, noting an updated site plan that calls for removal of a damaged hemlock and a spruce and the installation of a native Connecticut wetland seed mix in a labeled “Area A.” The commission set a completion date of May 31, 2026, and said the violation connected to earlier unauthorized clearing will remain in effect until staff confirms planting and removes the violation.
"We went out actually — we went out on the site today," wetlands enforcement officer Laura Barkowski said, reporting the updated map and site observations. The applicant, identified as Joe Keller, agreed to add the tree removals and planting to the plan and provide a photo once the seed mix is installed.
At a later agenda item the commission approved activity W-25-66 for 107 Veil Road to reclaim and regrade a roaded area shown on a map prepared by VHB (received Nov. 5, 2025), again with the commission's standard stipulations. That motion carried unanimously.
On an enforcement item (listed as B5), staff reported an updated map and two dead logs in a small watercourse that the property owner said are blocking flow. The owner said a hired worker cut and piled trees and that she had misunderstood the measurement limits. "I did not touch any of the trees that were near the water," the property representative said, while acknowledging some pile placement and stumps are present.
Commissioners and staff urged a limited, low-impact remedy — cutting a short section (about three feet) to clear flow and leaving most wood in place to preserve habitat — and instructed the owner to modify the original permit to reflect the updated map (including a small chicken coop in an upland review area) and to submit required documentation. The commission asked the owner to email a photograph of Area A after planting; staff will verify and then remove the violation.
For an absent applicant on the 58 Old Graves Bridge matter, the commission directed staff to send a certified (signature-required) registered letter requesting the property owner or agent attend or provide proof of the wetland creation work; the commission warned that failure to respond could lead to permit revocation and violations.
Other agenda business included updates on Toll Brothers and multiple enforcement follow-ups, brief discussion of 51 North Mountain and Mwinbrook enforcement scheduling, approval of minutes from Nov. 10, 2025 (with two commissioners abstaining because they were absent), and adjournment.
Votes at a glance
- W-25-65 (31 Obtuse Road South): Approved unanimously; conditions include removal of identified trees and installation of a native Connecticut wetland seed mix in Area A by May 31, 2026; violation remains until planting is verified.
- W-25-66 (107 Veil Road): Approved unanimously; reclamation of the roaded area as shown on the VHB map (received Nov. 5, 2025) with standard stipulations.
What happens next
Staff will add the permit modification for the enforcement property to the next meeting agenda so the applicant can formalize changes to the plan. For the approved 31 Obtuse remediation, the commission expects a photo of Area A after planting and plans a site check to confirm compliance before lifting the violation.
