Public officials joined Springwood neighborhood residents in expressing surprise and frustration last week regarding a state-approved permit allowing a developer to cut down 60 acres of trees with no prior notification to the town, with concerns that a solar array was...
Conservation Commission
Conservation Commission expresses frustration with Springwood tree clearing
The Conservation Commission at its meeting Tuesday night addressed concerns about the tree clearing off of Kimball Road in the Springwood neighborhood, noting that the town is powerless to stop it because of the issuance of a state permit by the Department of...
Conservation Commission allows construction of The Trails to go forward
The Conservation Commission at its in-person meeting Tuesday night unanimously approved the notice of intent that would allow construction of the next development phase of The Trails to proceed, but it decided to table a discussion of how to resolve previously...
Conservation Committee allows The Trails development to move forward
The Conservation Commission at its meeting Tuesday night unanimously approved amendments to plans for The Trails that would modify its basins and allow the development to move forward. The Trails, an open-space mixed use development (OSMUD) off Legacy Farms North...
Conservation Commission leverages fines against Turkey Ridge developer due to stormwater issues
The Conservation Commission at its meeting Tuesday night voted unanimously to leverage fines previously held in abeyance totaling $31,800 against the developer of the proposed Turkey Ridge Estates development because of a new violation discovered on the day of the...
Conservation Commission holds fines against Turkey Ridge developer in abeyance, citing progress
The Conservation Commission at its meeting Tuesday night unanimously decided after some debate to hold two instances of fines in abeyance for violations of erosion controls regarding the proposed Turkey Ridge Estates development, noting that substantial progress has...
Conservation Commission split on decision to proceed with gas pipeline at Mass. Laborers facility
The Conservation Commission at its meeting Tuesday night approved 4-3 the notice of intent hearing on the Massachusetts Laborers Training facility’s initially proposed gas line under the Wetlands Protection Act, the preferred option of the developer, after some...
Conservation Commission hears alternatives for Mass. Laborers gas line plan
The Conservation Commission met for more than three hours Tuesday night and voted 6-0 to continue a notice of intent hearing on the Massachusetts Laborers Training facility’s proposed gas line so that alternative routes proposed during the hearing could be reviewed....
Conservation Commission continues major hearings at request of applicants
Because only four of the seven commissioners on the Conservation Commission were able to attend Tuesday night’s virtual meeting, the applicants for the Massachusetts Laborers Training property on 37 East Street and The Trails development requested continuances of...
Conservation Commission releases units for development at The Trails
The Conservation Commission at its two-hour meeting Tuesday night voted 4-1 to release two units on the open space mixed-use development (OSMUD) site plan for The Trails after some prolonged debate. The hearing was continued because the commissioners continued to...
Conservation Commission continues Mass Laborers hearing, gives ultimatum on The Trails
The Conservation Commission at its virtual meeting Tuesday night continued to seek more information on two longstanding town projects, the Massachusetts Laborers Training property on 37 East Street and The Trails in what Chair Jeff Barnes called “a challenging...
Conservation Commission continues hearings on Laborers’ Training Center due to gas line concern
The Conservation Commission at its meeting Tuesday night decided to continue the three hearings on the Massachusetts Laborers’ Training Center property at 37 East Street until more clarity could be received regarding the installation of an underground gas line. Two...
Conservation Commission approves 8-foot drawdown of Lake Maspenock for weed management
The Conservation Commission at its 90-minute meeting Tuesday night unanimously approved a request by the Department of Public Works for an 8-foot winter drawdown of Lake Maspenock for two weeks as a strategy to control invasive weed growth. Last month, the commission...
Conservation Commission supports drawdown of Lake Maspenock to manage weeds
The Conservation Commission at a brief meeting Tuesday night returned to the issue of invasive weed management at Lake Maspenock, agreeing to a winter drawdown of the lake as a “toolbox item” previously proposed by the Department of Public Works. DPW Director John...
Conservation Commission address issues at The Trails
The Conservation Commission at its meeting Tuesday night mainly discussed two issues with The Trails, a development off Legacy Farms Road North, including an amended notice of intent concerning drainage improvement plans for four lots and a violation or continued...
Conservation Commission votes to allow DPW option to use herbicides in Lake Maspenock
At its meeting Tuesday night, the Conservation Commission voted to approve the Department of Public Works’ notice of intent to be able use a variety of tools — including herbicides — to address the weed problem in Lake Maspenock. The motion passed unanimously, with...
Conservation Commission again discusses, continues hearing on Lake Maspenock weed management
At Tuesday night’s meeting, the Conservation Commission again decided to continue its public hearing on the Hopkinton Department of Public Works’ request to have a “toolbox of options” to manage the invasive weed growth in Lake Maspenock. A request was made for more...
DPW presents revised Lake Maspenock weed treatment plan to Conservation Commission
Nearly two years after nixing a plan to use herbicides to treat weeds in Lake Maspenock, and after voters at a previous Town Meeting also voted it down, the Conservation Commission on Tuesday night took up a revised plan from the Department of Public Works. This time,...
ConCom approves notice of area resource delineation for Fruit Street property
At its Tuesday night meeting, the Conservation Commission approved area resource delineations for 188 and 190 Fruit Street after the applicant explained that an intermittent stream was found running through the property upon it being surveyed. Fred King, a wetlands...
Connelly Farms subdivision down to 8 lots, nears Conservation Commission approval
The Conservation Commission at its Tuesday night meeting continued the Connelly Farms subdivision project hearing until Jan. 4 but acknowledged that the process “is at the 5-yard line.” Scott Goddard, representing Ravenwood LLC and developer Ron Nation, said that the...