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Conservation commission votes to issue violation notice over alleged clear‑cutting at Camden Heights
Summary
The Town of Hampden Conservation Commission voted July 15 to draft and issue a violation notice and request a site inspection after members reviewed photos and reports alleging substantial tree clearing on the Highland Circle extension (Camden Heights), a parcel identified in the meeting as owned by developer Austin Graham. Natural Heritage logged an enforcement case and will follow up.
The Town of Hampden Conservation Commission voted July 15 to draft and issue a violation notice and request a site inspection after reviewing photos and reports alleging large‑scale tree removal on the Highland Circle extension in the Camden Heights development.
Greg, a commission member who presented the information, said he had contacted Natural Heritage and received confirmation that the agency had logged an enforcement case. "[Melanie Cheeseman] wrote me back a letter or a note saying that Mr. Graham hadn't gone through Natural Heritage in quite a few years, and their approval is only 5 year approval," Greg said during the meeting. He told commissioners that Natural Heritage will "reach out with any additional questions" and will CC the conservation commission on any notice of noncompliance.
Why it matters: commission members said the cleared area includes or abuts wetlands and land identified as under Natural Heritage review for rare and endangered species, raising potential regulatory and habitat concerns. A state forester (Jacob Mako) told the commission that because the work appears tied to proposed development, it may not fall under the state forestry program, a point Greg relayed to the group.
Commission discussion focused on the scale of the work and next steps. One member said the photographs and videos the group received constituted "stone cold evidence" and recommended issuance of a written enforcement action. Another member asked the commission to attempt contact with the property owner, identified in discussion as Austin Graham, before conducting a site inspection on the theory that advance notice and a request for him to attend would be useful.
The commission then moved and voted to issue a violation notice asking for a site inspection; members agreed the chair or staff would draft the notice and arrange for certified mailing and signatures. The meeting record shows members agreed to prepare the notice for signature and to include a request that the commission be allowed to inspect the property.
Next steps: the commission will prepare and sign the violation notice, send it by certified mail, request a site inspection, and await any follow‑up from Natural Heritage. The transcript does not record the full text of the draft notice, nor does it give a complete vote tally by name; the motion was approved by voice vote of members present.
