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Neighbors' runoff and unpermitted 2019 work surface as board reviews steep‑slope drainage plan
Summary
At a public hearing on a steep‑slope permit for 19 Pine Lane, neighbors provided video evidence of runoff; the applicant's engineer described terracing and Coltec stormwater systems expected to reduce post‑development runoff by about 16–17%; staff will confirm the baseline year used in the calculations and the town engineer will review before final action.
Steven Anderson, the project engineer for the homeowner at 19 Pine Lane, described a package of measures intended to address runoff from a steep property: terrace walls, landscaping, curtain drains and Coltec stormwater units to collect and attenuate roof and surface flows. "Between the terracing, the wall and hooking it into a stormwater system, it's gonna reduce it quite a bit," Anderson said.
Downslope neighbor Doug Collins and other residents had submitted videos showing significant flows in June 2024. Staff acknowledged there had been work on the property in 2019 that prompted a stop‑work order; town staff and the engineer said some site features (an unconnected curtain drain and exposed fill) contributed to the observed point discharges. The applicant said some work had building permits (a patio) and that prior driveway work had been modified to comply with regulations.
On hydraulic performance, the applicant's drainage calculations using HydroCAD/TR‑55/TR‑20 methods show roughly a 16–17% decrease in runoff from the rear yard compared with the pre‑disturbance condition used for the analysis; the team also said the proposed system was designed for a 100‑year event. Board members and staff pressed the applicant to confirm which baseline year the analysis used (the town engineer asked the project team to consider 2004 topography and the 2020 steep‑slope clearance when evaluating predevelopment conditions) and requested a written response from the town engineer clarifying whether the 16–17% reduction is computed against 2019, 2020 or 2004 conditions.
Staff told the board the town engineer has reviewed the submittal and indicated the proposal meets code requirements for no net increase in runoff from the property; if the project moves forward, the applicant must obtain a Stormwater Management Control Permit from the town engineer prior to building permits. The board moved to close the public hearing and leave the written record open for one week (through Feb. 12) so staff could provide the requested clarification; one member abstained from that procedural vote.
