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Consultant proposes removal of resurfaced parking and restoration at 292 West Main Street
Summary
A wetland scientist presented historic aerial analysis and a restoration plan for 292 West Main Street that would remove about 3,000 sq ft of surfaced area, plant native trees and shrubs across roughly 5,000 sq ft, and provide mitigation area slightly exceeding a 2:1 ratio; commissioners requested clearer performance‑standards math and contractor bid specs.
Chris Bridal, wetland scientist with Goddard Consulting, walked the Norton Conservation Commission through aerial imagery dating to 1961 and a recent site plan overlay to show the long‑term footprint of disturbance at 292 West Main Street. Bridal said the parcel’s "core square" of building and parking comprises roughly 25,000 square feet in riverfront area, with approximately 8,300 square feet of resurfaced parking traced on the site plan.
Bridal outlined calculations that subtract pre‑existing degraded areas and grandfathered features (a volleyball court) to arrive at a net impact of about 3,685 square feet that the applicant proposes to address with in‑kind removal (roughly 3,000 sq ft) and planting. "We are proposing straight up removal, almost 3,000 square feet of this purple area down here," Bridal said. He described a restoration program of roughly 5,000 square feet of native seeded and planted areas, including trees and shrubs, and noted a mitigation approach that slightly exceeds a 2:1 mitigation ratio.
Commissioners pressed for a clearer performance‑standards assessment showing the site’s total riverfront area, the percentage disturbed, and the post‑restoration balance to ensure compliance with the 10% disturbance threshold in the riverfront standards. Commissioners also asked for contractor‑level details — soil amendment volumes, seeding rates, and sequencing — so future bids would be executable rather than conceptual. Bridal agreed to provide revised, enumerated figures and to work with the engineer (Craig Szygonowski) to show the numbers more plainly on plan sheets.
Staff cautioned that the commission and MassDEP will review restoration and mitigation plans; commissioners noted that accepting a mitigation package now will constrict future development capacity on the property because riverfront impacts "lock in with the property." Bridal said he and his client will discuss whether to pursue an enforcement order for quicker implementation or a Notice of Intent/after‑the‑fact filing to secure a cleaner permitting record.
