Eye on Town Government

By Susan MacEachron

The Inlands Wetlands Agency (Wetlands), in a continuing public hearing held on Sept. 13, gave its approval for proposed work for Haystack Woods, a planned affordable-housing project on Old Colony Road.

Previously, at its Aug. 30 special meeting, questions raised by Wetlands members about potential wetlands disturbance at the Haystack Woods site were addressed by Ken Hrica, an engineer and licensed land surveyor, and George Logan, a certified professional wetlands scientist, advisers to the Foundation for Norfolk Living. Logan described mitigation plans and advised that the project should be supervised by a wetlands scientist. A number of Norfolk residents attended the meeting and spoke in favor of the plan to create affordable housing.

At the regular Wetlands meeting on Sept. 13, attorney Michael Zizka, counsel to Wetlands, read his proposed motion approving the project into the record. He advised Wetlands that they should have a final set of plans incorporating all of the changes that have been requested in the multiple iterations of the plans they have reviewed. Zizka also reiterated his opinion that it is reasonable to balance the community need for affordable housing when considering the disturbance of wetlands.  

Wetlands discussed the matter of a cash “bond” account to be used by Wetlands to remedy any failure to comply with the conditions for approval. It was proposed that if Wetlands had to draw on the bond to complete work not being done by the foundation, that they would require the account to be replenished before any further work could continue on the site. Zizka emphasized that Wetlands was only concerned with disturbance of the wetlands, monitoring and promised mitigation, pointing out, for example, that if the retaining wall weren’t completed, that might be a concern of the Planning & Zoning Commission, but not a Wetlands matter.  

After the public hearing closed, the Wetlands members discussed the matter and approved the special permit with a $10,000 cash “bond”, to be replenished if drawn.  Wetlands also required a commitment to monitor the wetlands for two years after construction of the retaining wall. Wetland members expressed their appreciation to Zizka for preparing a comprehensive motion for them to approve.

Under new business, the agency considered a request from a property owner on Tobey Pond to build a low stone wall to reduce erosion into the pond. Wetlands members determined that the work planned did not amount to “significant activity” requiring a special permit and instructed Wetlands Enforcement Officer Michael Halloran to inform the property owner that a silt fence and hay bales must be erected to prevent water running into the work area.