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Darien EPC approves multiple permits, asks town dredge plans to include sediment testing
Summary
At its Jan. 7 meeting the Darien Environmental Protection Commission approved several permit applications (53 Birch Road; 10 Holly Lane; 64 Andrews Drive; others), continued one public hearing (49 Birch Road) to Feb. 4, 2026, and asked that dredge proposals for Cherry Lawn and Tilley Pond include lab sediment testing, disposal plans and mitigation measures.
The Darien Environmental Protection Commission approved multiple permit applications and set expectations for town pond dredging during its Jan. 7 public hearings and regular meeting.
Commissioners voted to approve EPC Permit Application #17‑2025 (53 Birch Road) with the conditions set forth in the staff draft resolution. The commission also approved EPC #23‑2025 (10 Holly Lane) following minor non‑substantive edits to the staff resolution.
On a separate vote, EPC Permit Application #24‑2025 (81 Leeuwarden Road), a proposed pool fence near wetlands, was approved with a 4‑1 vote; Commissioner Carolyn Bayne announced she would vote against the application, stating she believed feasible alternatives outside the wetlands existed. EPC #28‑2025 (64 Andrews Drive), authorizing a sanitary sewer force main associated with private pool construction, was approved with the conditions in the draft resolution.
The commission acknowledged receipt of applications for maintenance dredging at Cherry Lawn Park (EPC #02‑2026) and Tilley Pond Park (EPC #03‑2026). While commissioners agreed a public hearing was not warranted for these town‑park dredges, they uniformly urged staff to require sediment testing by a qualified laboratory to confirm the absence of contaminants, a clear plan for appropriate uses and disposal of dredged materials, and a mitigation/planting plan to reduce lawn, improve runoff filtration and limit future maintenance dredging or herbicide use.
Staff reported receipt of 65‑day extension requests for several matters. The public hearing on EPC #27‑2025 (49 Birch Road, maintenance dredge) was continued to Feb. 4, 2026 at the applicant’s request. The Weeburn Country Club pond dredge (EPC #26‑2025) and work at 52 Blueberry Lane (EPC #25‑2025) were also the subject of 65‑day extension requests; no final action was taken on those items at this meeting.
The commission approved draft minutes of the Dec. 3, 2025 public hearing and regular meeting with minor edits; Commissioner Michael Ervin abstained from the minutes vote. An agent approval for demolishing a residence and regrading uplands at 471 Mansfield Avenue (EPC #30‑2025) was described by staff as qualifying for agent approval under Section 12 due to minimal wetland impact; no roll‑call vote was recorded in the minutes for that agent approval.
In other business the commission voted unanimously to send a letter supporting a Connecticut vanity license plate to raise funds for wetlands protection, restoration and education statewide.
The meeting adjourned at approximately 8:33 PM.
