267 Center Street Wetland Buffer Waivers
Applicant seeks waivers to build house and ADU inside protected wetland buffer zones, with board split votes reflecting tension between development and conservation.
Applicant John Dick sought waivers to build a house and ADU inside protected wetland buffers at 267 Center Street. The conservation commission continued the hearing in May 2026 for a site visit then approved the waivers and order of conditions on 3-2 votes in June despite board concerns.
The 267 Center Street wetland buffer waivers issue arose when applicant John Dick filed a Notice of Intent (DP-1440) for house and ADU construction on a site whose wetland status was disputed, with the property featuring overland flow and skunk cabbage.
At the May 28, 2026 conservation commission meeting the public hearing was opened; Dick argued the site was a wetland in name only despite the indicators and proposed mitigation via slope regrading and native shrub planting, but the commission continued the hearing to June 11 to allow a site visit.
By the June 25 meeting the applicant had advanced plans placing the ADU and driveway inside the 0-35 ft no-disturb and 0-50 ft no-build zones around a degraded wetland swale, contending the swale was less ecologically valuable than the red maple swamp behind the house; the board questioned whether the ADU could instead be sited behind the house within zoning setbacks.
After closing the public hearing the commission approved both waivers and the order of conditions (with an added debris removal requirement) on identical 3-2 votes despite expressed reluctance over protected-zone intrusion.
The split votes left open the possibility of an amended plan if the architect determined alternate ADU siting feasible, with construction otherwise to proceed under the standard conditions plus monitoring.
Applicant may return with amended plan if architect finds alternate ADU siting feasible; construction to follow standard conditions including debris removal and monitoring.
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