Commission approves cleanup plan for 21 Beach Street, waives late‑work penalty

The North Branford Conservation and Inland Wetlands and Watercourses Agency voted to approve IWWA application 2026‑2 — a site‑grading/cleanup plan for 21 Beach Street — and attached standard conditions plus a special condition waiving the penalty for work started without a permit.

Applicant James DeVoe of JDV Holdings told the commission he had removed brush, stump material and dumped debris from the upland review area and hauled it away in a 30‑yard dumpster. "We're just cleaning up the area ... I took a 30 yard dumpster of brush and roots out of there already," DeVoe said, adding he will seed the area and lay hay to stabilize the site.

Commission members confirmed that no excavation or topographic changes were made and that silt fencing was installed after removal to limit sediment reaching wetlands. A member noted that the agency’s regulation normally sets a penalty at four times the total fees for work begun without a permit; the motion to approve included special condition number 18 explicitly waiving that penalty, with the commission citing the applicant’s cleanup effort and remedial steps.

The motion (read into the record with property details including Assessor's Map 40, Lot 58 and Zone B2) was moved and seconded and approved by voice vote. The applicant thanked the commission and left after the vote.

Next steps: the approval is conditioned on the standard IWWA conditions listed in the application packet plus the special waiver; staff and the applicant will proceed with site stabilization measures described at the hearing.