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Commission approves 553 Center Street four‑bay garage with conditions
Summary
The Dighton Conservation Commission approved a notice of intent for a four‑bay commercial garage at 553 Center Street, contingent on specified wetland buffer mapping, erosion controls and an order of conditions. Reviewers confirmed wetland lines and stormwater responses but asked for local buffer zones to be added or conditioned.
The Dighton Conservation Commission voted to approve a notice‑of‑intent application for 553 Center Street, where the applicant proposes to demolish an existing trailer and build a four‑bay commercial garage with associated parking, utilities and a septic system.
Evan Watson of Wen Engineering, representing the applicant, told the commission the project falls partly within the 200‑foot riverfront/vernal area but noted the planning board had already approved a related site plan and special permit and that a third‑party stormwater peer review had been submitted and addressed. "We responded to all the storm water issues with the planning board and we have a clean letter from them," Watson said.
Commission reviewer Megan — who conducted a site visit — said she agreed with the placement of delineated wetlands but identified administrative updates the applicant needed to file. "It does look like those [WPA] form updates have all been updated," she said, while recommending the commission consider adding local wetland buffer zones to the plan or conditioning their submission. The commission asked that buffer lines be shown on the drawings or added as a condition in the order of conditions.
During a technical question‑and‑answer period, commissioners and the applicant clarified intended uses (service vans and trade tenants, not automotive repair), septic design (the system is sized to serve the building with potential shared restroom access), and stormwater treatment. Watson described two infiltration systems tied to roof leaders and said the project includes an operations and maintenance plan that will place responsibility for inspections and cleanouts on the property owner.
The application also included a landscaping plan. The commission pressed the applicant to replace removed trees with native species and to avoid invasive grasses; Watson said trees along the driveway would be relocated and additional native plantings proposed. The seed mix listed in the submission includes Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass and creeping red fescue.
A motion to approve the application with conditions carried. Staff noted the commission has up to 21 days to issue the order of conditions; there is a 10‑day appeal period from issuance.
Next steps: the approved order will be issued with the list of conditions discussed (buffer mapping or conditioned submittal, erosion and stormwater measures, and native landscaping), after which the standard appeal period begins.
