Tolland commission approves restoration plan after unauthorized tree clearing at Otter Pond

The Tolland Conservation Commission approved a landscape restoration plan April 28 for a Lot 17 property on Otter Pond after finding trees on the parcel had been cleared without prior approval, the commission said at a public hearing held via Zoom.

The order of enforcement, dated Jan. 29, 2026, was on the record. At the hearing, Mike Kulig of Berkshire Engineering presented a detailed restoration proposal for Amanda Cernitz’s property, describing a shoreline planting and seeding strategy and erosion controls. Kulig said the plan calls for a New England seed mix closer to the shore, a seed/loam/mulch mix upslope, use of a straw blanket or tackifier with the seed and loam mix, and seeding hay with tackifier for the shoreline mix. "Straw waddles will remain and [be] adjusted as the water level on Otter Pond rises," the presentation states.

The restoration plan also calls for straw waddles across the property to reduce erosion and notes that final planting choices will depend on the availability of plant materials listed in the proposal. The commission recorded unanimous approval of the proposal (2–0). The commission also reserved the right to revisit the restoration work in spring 2027 to review progress and make additional suggestions to ensure full restoration of the site.

The hearing record lists Les Cohn as chair and Nichol Magni as the other commission member present; other attendees included the property owner and members of the public. The commission closed the hearings at 5:43 p.m., and the meeting adjourned at 5:57 p.m.

The transcript does not record who moved or seconded the approval of the restoration plan, nor does it record public testimony in opposition to, or in support of, the proposal beyond the materials presented by Berkshire Engineering.