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Water‑tank protections, utility ownership and stormwater tests become focus of Laramie Farm review
Summary
Planning Board members pressed the applicant on protections for the town water tank, ownership and acceptance of proposed utilities, and requested Verdant Associates review of HydroCAD/model coordination and infiltration testing required for DES AOT permitting.
Water supply, municipal asset protection and stormwater engineering emerged as central technical issues during the Laramie Farm hearing.
Verdant Associates’ May 22 memo flagged the town’s water storage tank and the proposed development driveway that approaches it. The review recommended the planning board request confirmation that construction activities (test borings, grading, access) will not adversely affect tank stability, while noting binding decisions about town asset management, ownership and acceptance fall to other municipal bodies.
Developer Carl DeBello said the revised plan set increases the clear zone around the tank, removes grading and retaining walls nearby, and provides wider access and improved gate/fencing details to protect the asset. DeBello also said the applicant has included easement language and title work to allow the town greater flexibility for protection and access.
Board members and staff repeatedly underscored that acceptance of public utilities and any reservation of land for a future town tank would be municipal decisions. Tim Jennings said such decisions “are part of the conditions and action items that are tied to the conditions of the plan” but that selectmen/DPW must make final determinations on ownership, capacity and easement language.
On stormwater, Verdant asked the applicant to reconcile HydroCAD drainage nodes, subcatchments and outfalls with the plan set, to provide infiltration testing and confirmation of seasonal high groundwater separation where infiltration practices are proposed, and to provide profiles for closed drainage runs and force mains. Tim McFarland of the Bear Group (engineer for the applicant) said the team has a detailed drainage report, used site‑specific soils mapping, and applied conservative default infiltration rates with a factor of safety to address AOT requirements; he asked for a technical meeting with Verdant to resolve model/plan coordination.
The board asked staff to include Verdant’s review of the applicant’s written responses in a new task order. Planning staff will also seek documentation from the applicant and, where needed, written confirmation from DPW or the selectmen about any town actions required to protect or accept water/tank infrastructure.
No final engineering approvals were granted at the meeting; the board made clear that some items (utility acceptance, executed easements, and DES AOT permit specifics) must be documented and verified before a final sign‑off.
