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Enfield commission votes to ask DES for explanation after variance approval that omitted planned well details
Summary
After the zoning board and DES actions on a Main Street Cottages variance, the commission—whose prior objection had focused on a proposed well near Crystal Lake—voted unanimously to empower Commissioner Shirley Green to send a written inquiry to the Department of Environmental Services asking why the well placement was not addressed in the public documents.
The Enfield Conservation Commission voted unanimously to authorize Commissioner Shirley Green to contact the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (DES) and request an explanation after the commission’s prior objections to a variance tied to the Main Street Cottages project appeared not to be reflected in the permitting documents.
Commissioners said they had submitted a formal objection based on multiple concerns, including a proposed well located very close to Crystal Lake. The commission noted that the variance approval materials did not include the well and sought clarification about whether the well will be relocated or whether DES lacks jurisdiction over that portion of the plan. One commissioner summarized the concern: "our issue with the well being 2 ft from the lake was that there's going to be all of this construction and all of this garbage going into the lake." The commission decided a written inquiry followed by a phone follow-up was the appropriate next step.
A motion to empower Shirley Green to contact DES and ask why the well was handled as it was was moved and seconded; the commission recorded an affirmative roll-call vote with all members present voting yes: Jean Belgi (yes), John Clue (yes), Jay Wells (yes), Shirley Green (yes), Ed Rippy (yes), Peter Hurst (yes), and Tom Claus (yes). The commission agreed it would draft a formal letter referencing the commission minutes and request a written response.
Why it matters: The commission had formally objected to the variance on resource-protection grounds; the apparent omission of well information in permitting materials raises questions about whether key environmental considerations were evaluated in the approval.
Next steps: Shirley Green will prepare and send a letter to DES and follow up by phone; the commission will review DES’s response and may attend or submit comments to the upcoming zoning hearing about the Main Street Cottages application.
