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Bolton IWC considers adding 'Minimal Impact Permit' and plans fee‑schedule review
Summary
Commission members discussed updating a fee schedule last revised in 2015 and adding a "Minimal Impact Permit" category handled by the wetlands agent for low‑impact projects outside wetlands, with staff to return in March with definitions and examples.
At the Feb. 25 meeting the Bolton Inland Wetlands Commission began discussing two regulatory housekeeping items: an update to the fee schedule and a proposed "Minimal Impact Permit" for low‑impact projects.
Chair Ross Lally noted the commission’s fee schedule was last updated in 2015 and asked commissioners to review fees used by similarly sized communities before recommending changes to the Board of Selectmen. Commissioners asked staff to return with comparative fee data.
Wetlands Agent Alyssa Barroso described a proposed "Minimal Impact Permit" category intended for projects with lower time and cost burdens such as septic replacements and decks on concrete piers. Barroso said these permits would be processed by the agent, require attendance at one meeting rather than two, and would not be allowed within wetlands. Commissioners requested clearer definitions — including what constitutes "minimal impact," where the fee would appear in the schedule, and concrete examples and descriptions — and asked Barroso and Chair Lally to provide additional information at the March meeting.
No formal regulatory changes were adopted; the discussion concluded with a plan for staff to bring more detailed definitions and fee comparisons to the next meeting.
