Conservation commission chair raises environmental concerns about Herrick Memorial Park soccer field

Rod Parlee, chair of the Bolton Conservation Commission, presented a letter dated Feb. 26, 2026 at the Bolton Inland Wetlands Commission meeting to raise multiple environmental and procedural concerns about the recently approved Herrick Memorial Park soccer field.

Parlee’s letter and remarks listed six specific concerns: whether glyphosate would be used in site preparation (Wetlands Agent Alyssa Barroso said glyphosate will not be used and that crews will use a sod cutter), canopy removal adjacent to a cold-water stream and an area listed in the Natural Diversity Data Base (NDDB), possible off-site impacts to wetlands below a stone wall, slope grading and erosion-control measures for the east and west sides of the site, parking-lot runoff affecting the Bates Memorial area, and potential erosion on the Bates Trail. Parlee asked that the Conservation Commission receive future Inland Wetlands meeting agendas.

Chair Ross Lally said the commission had previously ruled on the application based on information provided at that time and that Parlee had not presented “concrete evidence” of direct impact in the meeting. Member Michael McDonnell discussed jurisdictional limits of inland-wetlands review and when a public hearing might be warranted. Some aspects of the parking-lot runoff issue were identified as matters for the Board of Selectmen or Planning and Zoning to address. Parlee thanked the commission for reviewing the concerns.

The exchange documents inter-agency concern over site preparation and habitat impacts, with the wetlands agent clarifying that herbicide would not be used and the commission noting outstanding jurisdictional and engineering questions that may require separate review.