The Inland Wetlands Agency (Wetlands) meeting held on Feb. 7 focused primarily on the proposed reconstruction of Maple Avenue, which provides an opportunity to correct storm drainage issues.  

Roy Seelye, a senior project engineer with Cardinal Engineering, presented the plans for the project at a town information meeting held before the Wetlands meeting. Many residents of Maple Ave. attended. First Selectman Matt Riiska said the estimated total cost for the road is $2.6 million. He said he is searching for funding from either federal or state government programs to help defray some of the expense and will not bid out the project until funding is identified.  

Once underway, Riiska expects it will take four months to complete the project. The old roadbed will be removed and new drains installed. Drawings were provided showing where some drains will be relocated, a new culvert added and the road regraded. The width of the road will not change. Driveway aprons disturbed by the work will be repaved. Part of the project will include new concrete sidewalks, which will remain four feet wide to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act. However, at the end of Maple Ave. by the library, five-foot-wide sidewalks are planned. The new sidewalk will end at Mills Way and the old bluestone sidewalk will be removed. 

A discussion was held about the possibility of homeowners on the east side of Maple Ave. taking the opportunity of the road reconstruction to bury their utilities and run them under the new road. Seelye and Riiska noted this is possible, but that it would be a private project between the homeowner and the utilities and that it would be at their own expense. The public meeting was adjourned.

In the Wetlands meeting, Seelye again presented the plans for improving storm drainage on Maple Ave. He said the existing culvert is inadequate and that heavy rains cause flooding. Currently, water running alongside Pettibone Lane funnels into a single culvert under Maple Ave. The new plan will provide for two culverts. It was noted that Pettibone Lane is a private road, with the other end of the proposed culvert also on private property. Hence, permission from the landowners must be secured. Wetlands determined that a public hearing would be held on March 7 to discuss the plans.

Wetlands next considered a proposed upgrade to a septic system on Gamefield Road, which borders Tobey Pond.  Steve Latour from Berkshire Engineering, representing the homeowner, said she is upgrading her septic system to be code compliant. Michael Halloran, Wetlands Enforcement Officer, said the work was not in any wetlands and that he could have approved the application directly. However, because of the proximity to Tobey Pond, he wanted the project presented to the agency members. Latour emphasized that the work will simply improve the current system. Wetlands approved the application.