Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Land Use Development topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Dennis Conservation Commission continues review of East Dennis raze-and-replace project after neighbors raise drainage and fill concerns
Summary
The commission continued the review of a raze-and-replace project at 43 & 49 South Street in East Dennis and directed staff to draft an Order requiring no discharge onto neighboring properties; neighbors raised concerns about culvert impacts, potential discharge and an ancient wall. The applicant plans an elevated I/A septic and about 1,050 cubic yards of fill.
The Dennis Conservation Commission on June 25 continued review of a large raze-and-replace project at 43 & 49 South Street in East Dennis and directed staff to prepare an Order of Conditions addressing drainage and discharge concerns.
Lynne Hamlyn, presenting for the applicant, said the project would replace the existing dwelling and add a detached garage with an accessory dwelling unit, install an elevated innovative/alternative (I/A) septic system, and require roughly 1,050 cubic yards of fill — about 350 cubic yards of that to be placed inside a boulder retaining wall around the proposed soil absorption system. She said the work would mostly occur within the FEMA-designated flood zone and that resource areas on the lot include a Phragmites-dominated marsh, a coastal bank whose top lies below the 100-year flood boundary, and riverfront area with mean high water set at elevation 4.2.
Neighbors raised specific concerns about stormwater routing and potential impacts to adjacent properties. Abutter Lois Kotanek asked whether changes to the system could increase flow toward her property; Hamlyn replied the project would not result in additional discharge elsewhere and noted swales and leaching trenches are proposed to keep runoff on site. Neighbor Eli Whitney brought up the possible presence of an ancient wall; Hamlyn said she was not aware of a wall on the site and would relay the information to her client.
Commissioner Chamberlain questioned whether the 1,050 cubic yards of fill represented the minimum necessary; Hamlyn said approximately 350 cubic yards would be inside the boulder wall and the remainder distributed across the site, with maximum fill depths generally about 1.5 feet. Commissioner Clark emphasized that the engineer's stamped plans must ensure the septic system does not discharge onto neighboring properties; Chairman MacDonald directed staff to include a prohibition against discharge onto adjoining properties in the draft Order.
The commission voted to continue the public hearing and asked staff to prepare an Order of Conditions for the next meeting so the points raised by abutters can be addressed in writing. The applicant has also noted the potential need for dewatering during excavation depending on groundwater conditions; Hamlyn said dewatering discharge would be routed either to an on-site surface recharge area or discharged beyond the Conservation Commission's jurisdiction, depending on conditions.
The hearing will resume when staff presents a draft Order that includes the commission's requested conditions.
