Planning Board ends well-irrigation policy, citing working-group recommendation

WESTON -- February 3, 2021, Weston Planning Board ends decade-old policy mandating wells for lawn irrigation. The board voted 5-0 Wednesday to discontinue the requirement on the recommendation of a town water-use working group, which concluded "lawn irrigation is not really a sustainable water use" regardless of source and that town-water customers are easier to regulate through tiered rates and watering bans. Member Leslie Glynn pressed for follow-on conditions including EPA-certified smart controllers ($100-$200 retail, per staff research), separate irrigation sub-meters and deep-rooted-grass design standards. Chair Alicia Primer noted a smart controller "is less than they're paying in application fees." The board separately continued the 18 Columbine Road stormwater dispute and the Two Fields/Ponds Scenic Road 1,200-square-foot pool cabana, which member Susan Zacharias called "a small house" on a single-family lot, to Feb. 24, pending town counsel opinions.