The Middlebury Conservation Commission (CC) at its June 24 meeting voted against a permit for tree and brush removal already done by a Regan Road resident. It approved parking area changes at the Ridgewood development and drainage system plans at 891 Straits Turnpike.
An application by Joseph Bernardi of 450 Regan Road for a permit for brush removal on Lot 119 was not approved because he failed to submit details requested Feb. 25. Bernardi had been issued a cease-and-desist order for removing brush and trees in the Hop Brook Wetlands Review Area. He was expected to describe those activities and present plans to complete grading activities, silt removal, discharging of drains and temporary trail bridges. His application was not addressed at the March meeting when no quorum of commissioners was present, and Bernardi failed to appear at the April and May meetings.
A plan for Toll Brothers to modify parking and recreation areas in the green area at Ridgewood of Middlebury was unanimously approved after detailed planting, erosion control and maintenance plans were presented. Carlos Ruiz, a project engineer for Milone and MacBroom, said parking behind several units was unappealing to prospective buyers. He showed revised plans where the parking would be relocated to the site of a gazebo, and the gazebo would exchange locations with a playscape. An access drive planned for the parking would be gravel rather than bituminous, resulting in less impervious coverage.
Also unanimously approved were construction plans for Garrett Moore to remove a dilapidated old house and excavate 7,900 cubic yards of soil at 891 Straits Turnpike to prepare the way for a new 7,500-square-foot office building for the law firm Moore, O’Brien, Yelenak and Foti. Attorney Michael McVerry told commissioners improvements to the driveway and addition of parking areas would fall inside the 100-foot Wooster Brook regulated area. Commissioners agreed stormwater detention was not a consideration.
In other matters, commissioners unanimously voted to cancel the July meeting after Wetlands Enforcement Officer Deborah Seavey confirmed there were no new applications. The next regular CC meeting will be Tuesday, Aug. 26, 2014, at 7:30 p.m. in Room 26 at Shepardson Community Center.
