Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Enforcement Order Blood Road topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Littleton panel amends Blood Road enforcement orders to allow plantings, docks and three‑year monitoring
Summary
After lengthy discussion of native plant options and dock placement, the conservation commission amended enforcement orders for multiple Blood Road properties to permit specified plantings and original-dock placement with a no‑wake buoy and minimum-power operation; the planting plans must be approved by the conservation agent and monitored for up to three years.
The Littleton Conservation Commission voted to amend enforcement orders for multiple Blood Road properties so homeowners could begin shoreline plantings and return docks to original locations under conditions aimed at protecting wetland resources.
John and Rebecca, the homeowners representing 8 Blood Road, presented three planting options for an erosion area near their house: a pollinator-focused native bed, a switchgrass bank-stabilization strip, and a mountain‑laurel privacy hedge. Commissioners generally favored a combination that prioritized native, perennial, pollinator‑friendly species. Commissioner Chase Kerbig summarized the commission’s path forward: "what we're hearing is perennial plantings that are pollinators and agent approval for final plant selection," and commissioners asked staff to approve final layouts to avoid repeated hearings.
Separately, the Mat family (Irving and Gail Mat of Spring Brook Farm) proposed three staggered 8-by-12 planting beds and requested permission to place their dock in the sandy area (the original, right-side location). Commissioners agreed to allow docks to be placed back at that sandy location and recommended a buoyed no‑wake zone and minimum‑power operation when approaching the dock. One commissioner urged a 100‑foot minimum‑power buffer; the motion that passed used the phrasing "minimum power" and allowed placement of a no‑wake buoy.
The commission’s amended enforcement orders include the following elements: authorization to install the approved planting options with final species lists and spacing approved by the conservation agent; permission to place docks in the original sandy location; instruction to install or allow a no‑wake buoy; a requirement that boats use minimum power when within the dock approach area; and a monitoring requirement for the plantings for up to three years, with photo or reporting documentation to be provided to the agent.
Commissioners also asked staff to provide guidance on installation methods (hand excavation for larger shrubs, standard planting techniques for perennials) and to ensure plantings are spaced to allow long-term success. The amendments were moved, seconded and approved unanimously.
The commission emphasized that allowing the plantings and docks is an amendment to existing enforcement orders, not a full lift: staff retain authority to require documentation and to verify the three‑year monitoring results before removing any remaining restrictions.
