Bolton IWC schedules public hearing, requests technical data for town-center community septic system

The Bolton Inland Wetlands Commission on Dec. 16 set a public hearing for a proposed town-center subsurface sewage disposal system (206–220–222–266 Bolton Center Rd) and asked the applicant to supply additional technical details before public review.

Staff member Joseph Dillion said he received a Dawson Environmental report and recommended a gravity-flow installation, noting directional drilling would be expensive. Town Administrator Jim Rupert told the Commission that the Town prefers installing a gravity system and that the system would supply critical services to Town Hall.

Commissioners raised environmental and technical concerns, including potential impacts to bird habitat, the pipe location behind Town Hall, and insufficient detail in the application. Member Michael McDonnell listed required materials to be submitted prior to the public hearing and Commission consideration: cross-sections, pipe profile, trench installation details including trench dams, a construction-sequence plan with staged backfilling, a dewatering plan, restoration plans, and subsurface investigation as a condition of approval.

The Commission set the public hearing for Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2026, at 6:00 p.m.; the hearing will be hybrid at Town Hall with application materials available for review at Town Hall. Town Administrator Jim Rupert said the Town granted a 30-day extension from Jan. 1, 2026, to the Inland Wetlands Commission for the community septic-system application.

The Commission said it will need the requested technical material before making a decision following the public hearing.