Richmond board approves two‑lot subdivision at 30 Browns Court with stormwater and planting conditions

The Richmond Development Review Board on May 20 approved Trunk Beach LLC’s application to subdivide 30 Browns Court into two lots and build a six‑bedroom duplex, placing conditions on stormwater controls and the proposed buffer plantings.

Acting Vice Chair Robert DePalma presided over the hearing and the applicant’s representative, Brian, described updated final plans that add a small, dry stormwater detention area designed for the 25‑year event. Brian said the two‑foot‑deep detention area is intended to route rooftop and driveway runoff to an outlet structure that discharges at a lower peak rate than existing conditions.

Neighbors raised safety and performance concerns. A resident of 88 Browns Court asked whether downstream properties and the adjacent Richmond Park (which contains a parking lot, pickleball courts and a ball field) would see increased runoff; Brian said the design’s intent is to reduce peak flow to downstream facilities and that the pond is sized for the 25‑year storm. Fran Thomas and Denise Barnard, members of the parks committee, urged caution and asked whether the pond would be fenced and what recourse the town would have if the facility did not perform. Brian and town staff said the facility is a dry pond designed to drain within about 24 hours, that fencing is typically required only for wet ponds that retain water continuously, and that the zoning administrator and public works standards provide enforcement options if municipal infrastructure is impacted.

The board also debated a buffer and planting plan along the property line adjacent to the park. The applicant proposed seven arborvitae; public commenters said dozens of trees would be removed and urged more and larger plantings to reduce noise from the pickleball courts and to restore screening. The applicant said some clearing was necessary to meet setback and detention requirements and proposed a uniform replanted buffer.

After a brief deliberative session, the board approved the subdivision with specific conditions: modify the planting plan to include a minimum of 15 arborvitae at a minimum planted height of 6 feet, and install gutters and downspouts on the building gable and lower porch roofs with downspouts directed away from driveways. The motion to approve was moved and seconded and carried; the board said it will issue a decision within the required timeframe.

The decision notes that Richmond’s local stormwater and subdivision requirements are more stringent than in other nearby towns and that, because of the small scale of the project (roughly 3,000 square feet of added impervious area), state stormwater thresholds do not automatically apply. The board recorded public concerns about potential overflow, long‑term maintenance and the time it will take newly planted trees to provide effective screening.