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Board delays decision on wetland-impact permit for Chestnut Hill Road parcel, schedules site walk
Summary
Meridian Land Services presented a CUP application for wetland and buffer impacts tied to exploratory-well drilling; the conservation commission recommended open-bottom culvert design for better wildlife passage and the board deferred action pending DES/ecological review and a site walk.
The Planning Board deferred a decision on Surreal's Development's conditional-use application for wetland impacts on Map 254, Lot 10 (off Chestnut Hill Road). Taylor Desro, a certified scientist with Meridian Land Services, described a proposal to construct a 10-foot gravel accessway and a Tier 1 stream crossing with a 30-inch HDPE culvert (26 feet long, embedded) to support drilling two exploratory wells intended to assess water yield and quality for contemplated future development.
Desro said a standard New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services wetlands-impact permit was filed and the team anticipates a response by Aug. 15; ecological-review comments from Fish & Game were also pending. The conservation commission urged that, if a culvert remains permanent, an open-bottom culvert would better support wildlife passage and avoid long-term degradation; board members noted the potential for regionally protected species (references to Blanding's turtle and others in nearby areas).
Board members asked about mitigation if wells do not yield sufficient water; Desro and others said the culvert and any sandy fill would be removed and the stream bed restored to preexisting substrate and planting if exploratory work proved unsuitable. The board scheduled a site walk and voted to continue the application to the August meeting to allow staff, conservation members and applicants to review field conditions and outstanding DES/ecological responses.
What happens next: the applicant will await DES and ecological-review responses and participate in a site walk; the board will revisit the application in August with field notes and any new permit decisions.
