Milford wetlands agency approves revised parking‑lot plan at 674 Naugatuck Ave with stormwater conditions

The Milford Inland Wetlands Agency on July 1 approved a conditional permit for a parking‑lot expansion at 674 Naugatuck Avenue (application IW260038), after commissioners reviewed revised erosion and stormwater plans and inspection letters showing sediment controls held during recent rain events.

The agency vote followed a presentation by Mary Rose, who said revised plans from Connecticut Civil Group (dated 05/06/2026 and revised 06/24/26 and 06/29/26) add a second driveway, pull the rear parking area roughly 15–30 feet back from the wetland edge, and include three stormwater infiltration systems, dry wells, bioretention areas, a split‑rail fence and signs prohibiting snow storage. Rose said the city engineer’s review, received June 30, identified no unresolved engineering concerns.

Commissioners repeatedly cited inspection letters and photos documenting the function of silt fencing and a newly dug plunge pool. Mary Rose summarized a June 24 inspection letter from Ron Wazmer and a July 1 photo‑report submitted by Rick Jurczyk demonstrating that recent rainfall was captured in the site’s temporary controls. Ray Gradwell and other commissioners said those materials indicated the controls were performing and welcomed the design revisions intended to reduce runoff and pollutant loading to the adjacent wetland.

Applicant representatives acknowledged additional test pits showed good percolation and said they will prioritize installing dry wells and infiltration galleys early in construction; they also agreed to review the suggested relocation of a catch basin to capture flow at a low point near a landscape island.

The motion to approve, moved by Buddy Field and seconded by Jim Connors, included standard conditions: submission of a final construction plan before issuing a permit; installation and maintenance of soil erosion and sedimentation controls consistent with the Connecticut DEP 2024 erosion and sedimentation control guidelines; weekly erosion‑control inspections and inspections within 48 hours after significant precipitation events, with noted deficiencies addressed within 24 hours; compliance with city‑engineer stormwater requirements; preparation and recording of operations and maintenance manuals on city land records; and posting of a construction bond calculated to cover sedimentation/erosion controls and required plantings. The permit is dated 07/01/2026 and expires 07/01/2031 unless otherwise provided by statute.

Lisa conducted a roll call after the motion; the vote carried unanimously. Chair Bridal Magnant thanked the applicants and their consultants for the revised design and requested the applicant coordinate any catch‑basin changes with the city engineer as a minor modification.

The agency reiterated that a separate violation order (IW26005674) related to earlier site work remains in place until the site is fully stabilized and that weekly reports and post‑rain inspections must continue as required. Applicant representatives asked why the project could not move forward sooner given the inspection findings; agency members clarified that the violation and the permit‑approval process are separate steps and that the agency must document stabilization and compliance before lifting enforcement conditions.

The agency’s approval centers on mitigating sediment and improving water‑quality treatment before stormwater reaches the on‑site wetland and downstream Housatonic watershed resources. The applicant agreed to provide any revised plan sheets required by the city engineer and to record the required operation and maintenance documentation as a condition of bond release.

What happens next: the permit conditions require a final construction plan and bond calculation before permit issuance; the city engineer will review any minor modifications (for example, a relocated catch basin) and the agency will continue to require weekly inspections until an as‑built demonstrates stabilization.