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Select Board signs off on Southview stormwater notice of intent after engineers agree to refine plans with neighbors
Summary
After engineers described a revised Southview stormwater plan (two underground treatment chambers, revised cost estimate ~$358,000) neighbors pressed for inclusion of existing on-site pipes and catch basins; the board approved submittal to the state with direction for the consultants to meet affected homeowners and refine plans before filing.
Consultants for Richmond's Southview stormwater project told the Select Board on July 6 that they are ready to file a full Notice of Intent (NOI) to the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation after completing additional survey work, soil infiltration testing and negotiations with state reviewers. The updated design reduced underground chamber systems from four to two and generated a construction estimate around $358,000 for the two chambers.
Andres Tirizo of Watershed Consulting explained that the state's interpretation of a provision commonly called the "10% language" allows a broader, less parcel-specific compliance approach so the town's permit would avoid encumbering individual lawns. "We've... been able to, essentially in a more broad brush demonstrate how the intent is being met without having to get into that fine detail and in turn create that encumbrance on the individual property owners," Tirizo said. The consultants said the town can still document key features on the plan and will coordinate field verification with homeowners.
Neighbors raised specific technical concerns: Steven Eichenberger and Nancy Carlson said the plans did not depict an existing 24-inch culvert under a driveway and two 4-inch pipes that carry substantial flows into an existing culvert. Dave Marshall (Civil Engineering Associates) and other consultants said those pipes and the larger contributory watershed are accounted for in the hydrologic model even if they are not visible on the plan screen shown in the meeting; consultants agreed to return to the site with homeowners to confirm the locations and add clarifying plan details before final submission.
The board voted to approve filing the NOI as amended to include further refinements after direct coordination with affected homeowners, and staff will file the package with changes following those site checks. Consultants emphasized that the permit is time-sensitive for the town's grant timeline and said the state review process will likely produce additional comments.
What happens next: Consultants will field-verify existing pipes and catch basins raised by neighbors, revise the plan graphics to document infrastructure, and submit the updated NOI to the State Department of Environmental Conservation. The board asked staff to expedite the coordination because the grant and permit deadlines are approaching.
Reporting note: Cost estimates and details in this article come from consultant statements during the July 6 meeting.
