Weston Conservation Commission closes disputed wetland boundary case at 225 Winter Street

WESTON — August 9, 2022 — Weston Conservation Commission closes a multi-hearing wetland delineation dispute at 225 Winter Street. The commission voted 4-0, with member Josh Feinblum abstaining for missing two prior hearings, to issue an order of resource area delineation at its August 9 meeting, capping what Chair Rees Tulloss said was at least the commission's third appearance on the case. Peer reviewer Patrick Garner and applicant's consultant David Cowell of Hancock Associates had clashed over where to draw the mean annual high water line on a site dominated by cattails, which Garner described as "found 99 percent of the time in wetlands that are saturated." A joint July 13 site visit with Conservation Administrator Jordan McCarron and LEC Environmental senior wetland scientist Rich Kirby broke the impasse, with Garner reflagging the line and Hancock Associates revising its survey accordingly. The commission also approved four certificates of compliance and authorized McCarron to apply wet signatures to registry-bound documents, resolving a Middlesex South Registry of Deeds requirement that it will not accept electronic signatures on orders of conditions.