Neighbors press developers for cemetery survey, water and buffer safeguards at Crandall Commons hearing

The Planning Board continued its public hearing for Crandall Commons (1588 Bogomarsh Road) on Aug. 4 after residents and board members pressed the applicant for follow-up on potential burial sites, groundwater concerns and open-space protections.

Attorney Matthew Landry, representing Tiverton Investments LLC, said the applicant contacted the Public Archaeology Laboratory (PAL) and submitted a scope of services. He told the board PAL estimated roughly $12,000 for a desktop review and limited site evaluation that could lead to a Phase 1 archaeological assessment if features are identified. "There was an estimate around $12,000 to do a desktop review and a site evaluation, which would ultimately result in a phase 1," Landry said. He added that state agencies and PAL "don't see it as being necessary at this phase," but the team will re-submit materials and involve HPHC and tribal contacts at later review stages if warranted.

Board members noted conflicting letters: a July 22 HPHC note that indicated no known archaeological or historic sites and a July 28 communication that referenced a possible cemetery in the area. Chair Cheryl Valentine and the planning office asked the applicant to arrange a targeted field evaluation with HPHC if evidence remains uncertain. Residents including William Kamara and church representative Susan Anderson said the scale of development (12 units total: three triplexes, existing duplexes and other units) felt dense for the parcel and questioned the distance between proposed buildings and protected no‑cut buffers. Kamara said of the design, "If I had a pointer, I would like to just point it... that's 3 houses going in this spot where we have 3 houses above it... 9 houses right there in that small swath of land... 9 houses right there in that small swath of land."

Public commenters also asked whether the parcel sits inside a contaminated-well area linked to recent PFAS findings and whether future wells would be tested; the planning office said the state Department of Environmental Management (DEM) is working on maps and that testing and permitting will be handled in later engineering reviews. The board scheduled site walks and directed staff to get any available documentation (HPHC letters, tribal contacts, gas‑company consent for crossing easement) and to coordinate an abutters' meeting prior to the next action. The public hearing was continued to the Sept. 1 planning-board meeting; the board also arranged a site-walk date for Aug. 12 (10 a.m. start).