Weston Conservation Commission to hire peer reviewers for 518 South Ave. 40B

WESTON — September 22, 2020 — Weston Conservation Commission orders peer review of 40B project at 518 South Ave. The commission, chaired by Joe Berman, voted Sept. 22 to continue the notice-of-intent hearing to Oct. 6 and to hire independent engineering consultants under MGL Chapter 44 Section 53G after dueling expert reports left commissioners unable to resolve technical disputes. The project would discharge up to 38,000 gallons per day of treated wastewater roughly 50 feet from a bordering vegetated wetland. Peer reviewer Patrick Garner said the statutory presumption of no wetland impact is "rebuttable" and that no botanical or biological analysis has been offered. Civil engineer John Chessia, retained by abutters' attorney Daniel Hill, argued in a 16-page letter that the leaching field must sit 100 feet from the wetland under state wastewater plant guidelines, not 50. Developer Jonathan Buckman agreed to release the project's MODFLOW model file. Member Josh Feinblum said the project may be "the largest in the history of Weston."