Torrington revokes wetlands permit for 1163 Pathier Road, gives owners one month to hire wetlands professional

The Torrington Inland Wetlands Commission voted on June 2 to uphold a cease-and-desist order and revoke wetlands permit 2431 (permit WP 24-31) for property at 1163 Pathier Road, citing continued noncompliance and evidence of material being deposited in regulated wetlands.

Nate Nardy Cyrus, the commission’s inland-wetlands enforcement officer, summarized the case history: the commission issued a two-year permit on Sept. 10, 2024 that required revegetation, installation of bouldering in specified locations and limits on access. Cyrus said staff made multiple compliance contacts, found that delineation flags had been removed, identified new filling and erosion, and documented bank undercutting. "My recommendation to the commission…is to revoke the wetlands permit and then…direct me to issue $100 a day citations until the applicant can return with a soil scientist to map the wetlands on the site and a restoration plan," he said.

The permittee, identified in the record as Lori Diesek, disputed that she placed fill and told the commission she and family members removed phragmites by hand and planted trees and shrubs along the bank. Neighbor Bill Sorth said hand removal had restored habitat and lowered water level; he offered photographs showing returning fish and turtles.

Commission members and staff pressed that the record and aerial imagery show dredged material and lawn maintenance over areas previously shown as wet in 2024 imagery. Staff told the property owners that phragmites removal can be authorized as part of a professional plan, but that deposit or grading of material into wetlands is not allowed. The commission directed the owners to engage a licensed wetlands professional within one month; if staff receives no demonstration of engagement by that meeting, Cyrus was authorized to begin $100-per-day citations.

Why it matters: The commission found that activities at the site exceeded the scope of the permit and created recurring erosion and channelization that require a professional delineation and a restoration plan. Revocation removes the prior project authorization; the owners must now seek remediation through a new process.

Next steps: Owners have one month to engage a licensed wetlands professional and submit a restoration plan acceptable to the commission. If they do not, enforcement staff will begin daily citations as authorized by the commission.