Meridian Land Services (MLS) is currently in the process of putting together a four story building on 44 Wentworth Avenue. But, due to wetlands within the vicinity of the project, they first needed to work with the Conservation Commission to determine a potential solution possible conflict.
Tim Ferwerda, a wetland scientist representing MLS, attended the commission’s most recent meeting on July 11 to explain his project and how MLS would address the concerns over effects to the wetlands in order to be granted a permit for such a purpose.
According to Ferwerda, the current drainage plan for the project will form two forebays off of the parking lot before overflowing into a wet pond. However, the wetlands next to the property would need to be eliminated and replaced with a wet pond. Ferwerda feels that the wet pond, although serving a different function than wetlands, would still cover the loss of the wetlands and MLS would plant wetland vegetation native to wetlands so that the wet pond can blend in better. Ferwerda admitted that these ideas came from realizing that the Department of Environmental Services (DES) would not be fond of MLS simply eliminating the wetlands altogether, leading him to this plan to please the commission and the Department of Environmental Services (DES).
However, the commission had many concerns about the plans, as they had already realized when they reviewed the project at their last meeting.
A litany of issues were mentioned to Ferwerda, such as the purpose of the draining changes and the sheer size of the detention pond, both of which Ferwerda claimed are necessary for the build.
Chair Marge Badois then questioned the use of salt in the construction process for the drainage system, with Member Mike Speltz noting the environmental concerns over the use of salt, such as how it would prevent the forebays and detention ponds from removing chloride from the water. Ferwerda also defended the use of salt, calling it an unavoidable part of the construction process.
But, the primary concern the commission had with the project came from its alterations to the buffer zones. Since the project would be eliminating the wetlands and replacing them with a different body of water, the MLS was also tasked with developing a new buffer for said body of water. Ferwerda noted that his engineers felt confident that any options undertaken for the project would fall within buffer regulations, but Speltz did have to elaborate on these rules to Ferwerda at one point.
Nonetheless, the commission still opposed the idea, with Speltz feeling that the new buffer provided by MLS is too small and unstable, not to mention how the project is also affecting a conservation easement to the south. Ultimately, Speltz described the whole situation as “putting ten pounds in a five pound bag.”
The MLS’s efforts to be granted permission to work on the wetlands will still be in deliberations for the time being, with the commission giving their comments to the DES, to which Ferwerda is expected to comment on himself, as well as provide the comments back to the commission.