Epping commission backs Mathias Trucking site with 10-foot wetland buffer, signage conditions

The Epping Conservation Commission on March 23 voted 6-0 to support a proposed Mathias Trucking & Logistics facility at 5 Hedding Road provided the applicant adheres to specified signage for ice and salt mitigation and establishes a minimum 10-foot no-disturbance buffer from the wetland edge.

Jones & Beach Engineers described the proposal as a primarily industrial site on a 12-acre parcel with 2.5–3 usable acres: a 14,000-square-foot heated building with office space and truck fleet storage, a 9,200-square-foot lean-to, a 135-foot turnaround to accommodate 53-foot trailers, and an internal wash bay. Engineers said trucks will be cleaned inside the heated building and a storage tank will hold runoff from deliveries such as road salt.

The only direct wetland impact identified by consultants is to a small, isolated man-made wetland; the larger wetland to the west is reportedly hydrologically separate. Because the site is inside the town’s Groundwater Protection Area, the applicant obtained a conditional-use permit for groundwater protection, and the project will need an operational stormwater permit requiring monitoring and inspection of basins.

Commissioner Joe Trombley said he would prefer a no-disturbance area to the edge of the wetland if relief is requested, and the motion that passed requires a minimum 10-foot buffer from the wetland edge; Jones & Beach agreed to review adjusting pond and buffer distances. Chair Liz Wilson confirmed the wash bay will be inside the building, not outside.

The motion to support the project was conditioned on adherence to signage language related to ice and salt mitigation provided by the Commission and on the 10-foot no-disturbance buffer; the motion carried 6-0. If the engineering firm cannot meet the buffer and signage conditions, they were told to return to the Commission for further review.