Otis panel approves pond‑leveler with conditions after consultant warns beaver removal won’t solve flooding

Otis — The Otis Conservation Commission on Sept. 2, 2025, approved a Notice of Intent for installation of a dam/pond leveler at 0 Stebbins Road, imposing technical conditions intended to stabilize water levels and minimize downstream impacts.

Charlie Labatt, a representative of Guntlow & Associates speaking for Blue Dog Development LP and property owner Hal Kobrin, told the Commission he does not recommend removing beavers as a long‑term solution because the animals will likely return. Labatt argued the more sustainable option is a piping or leveler solution to control water levels at the beaver dam. The Commission discussed modest adjustments to the leveler and accepted Labatt’s professional recommendation.

The Commission’s approval requires piping configured to maintain the normal water level roughly 2.5 to 3 feet below the top of the dam, with a 6‑inch variable, and it requires the applicant to provide a copy of an annual service contract from Beaver Solutions or a successor contractor. The motion to grant the NOI and include those conditions was made by Dave Sarnacki and seconded by Candy Chaffee; the vote was unanimous.

The action reflects the Commission’s preference for a long‑term engineering solution that reduces the likelihood of repeated beaver‑related flooding, while ensuring the town receives documentation that the leveler will be regularly inspected and maintained. The Commission did not order beaver removal and instead tied the permit to technical specifications and documented annual maintenance.

The Commission recorded no public objections in the minutes. The approval includes a follow‑up requirement for the applicant to supply the annual service contract; staff will record receipt of that contract as part of permit compliance.