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Homeowner seeks to extend front-yard fence into wetland buffer on Smith Avenue; commission says construction must avoid wetlands
Summary
A property owner at 101 Smith Ave asked the commission for support to extend a fence about 20 feet into the wetland buffer; commissioners said they had no objection provided the work stays out of the wetland, avoids fertilizer and follows construction safeguards.
A homeowner at 101 Smith Avenue asked the Pembroke Conservation Commission for guidance after being told by the planning department he needed a special-use permit to extend his front-yard fence closer to a mapped wetland buffer.
The owner said a wetland scientist had reviewed the plan and concluded the proposed fence would not touch the wetland itself. "It's not going to affect the wetlands in any way," he said, explaining the enclosure would be located in the upland buffer area and that the existing fence was installed before newer buffer rules took effect.
Commissioners reviewed a map and measurements and asked for specifics about the closest point to the wetland (the applicant identified a point as roughly 5 feet from a mapped 0.103-acre feature at its narrowest tip). Members raised standard concerns about construction impacts and tree removal, noting that trees within striking distance of the house could be removed by the owner for safety reasons. Several members said the commission would submit written comments to the planning board conditioning support on clean construction practices, avoiding placement of excavated material into the wetland and not applying fertilizer within the buffer.
The applicant said he will also appear before the planning board; the commission agreed to forward its comments in writing and to monitor the planning process.
