Chelmsford Commission Tackles Wetland Violations and Environmental Concerns

The Chelmsford Conservation Commission tackled a range of environmental issues in a recent meeting, with focus on potential wetland regulation violations due to clearing work and the associated erosion concerns on Carlile Road. Discussions at the meeting centered around the property owned by Sean and Francesca Odonnell, who expressed worries about increased stormwater runoff and driveway erosion stemming from significant clearing on an adjacent property. This clearing extended onto their property and possibly violated wetland regulations. The commission and the Odonnells considered actions including seeking an administrative search warrant to assess the situation further.

The commission also discussed the eroding slope at the Odonnells’ property, which threatened the integrity of their driveway. Adam Costa, the attorney representing the Odonnells, emphasized the impact of the unauthorized clearing on their land and offered to assist with an administrative search warrant if necessary. The commission debated the need for further investigation to determine if there was a jurisdictional wetland and if there had been an alteration of the land within the wetland or buffer zone.

The issue of enforcement orders for environmental violations was another point of discussion. At 35 Brick Kiln Road, there had been a lack of response from the property owner regarding the removal of trees, which had been under an enforcement order for over a year. The commission suggested sending a certified letter as a final warning before taking legal action through a non-criminal disposition in district court.

The commission voted to add a requirement for the property owner to file a restoration plan within 30 days, in addition to responding to the agent immediately and filing a Request for Determination of Applicability (RDA). The importance of engaging with the commission and not disappearing was emphasized, alongside the potential financial penalties for non-compliance.

Another item of interest was a new RDA discussed for the neighborhood of Manuel Road, Claud Road, Gregory Road, and Rainbow Avenue. The proposed work involved the reestablishment of a drain swale to address localized flooding. After discussions with the Department of Public Works (DPW) representative about the extent of the work and potential impacts, the commission approved the work under a negative determination with specific conditions.

The commission also considered a project on Hunt Road, where Bits and Pieces Farm LLC proposed mowing and tilling for cultivating pumpkins and other field crops. The applicant, Mike Risbeck, addressed the commission’s concerns about the impact on wildlife, particularly turtles, assuring them that measures would be taken to protect wildlife.

In addition to these issues, the commission addressed concerns raised by the public about chemical handling and storage at a local business, emphasizing the potential environmental impact and the need for thorough safety measures. The handling of internal building materials in relation to the water supply was also discussed, with assurances that spill protections, including catch basin hoods, were in place to prevent contaminants from entering the stormwater system.

Lastly, the commission dealt with a number of other environmental concerns, such as unauthorized tree chopping in Russell Mill Town Forest, which raised safety concerns for children. The use of trail cams was suggested to monitor the situation. A request from the state police to remove trees interfering with communication antennas at Robin Hill was also considered, with the need for coordination and minimal impact on conservation land being stressed.

Note: This meeting summary was generated by AI, which can occasionally misspell names, misattribute actions, and state inaccuracies. This summary is intended to be a starting point and you should review the meeting record linked above before acting on anything you read. If we got something wrong, let us know. We’re working every day to improve our process in pursuit of universal local government transparency.
Town Manager:
Paul Cohen
Environmental Commission Officials:

Receive debriefs about local meetings in your inbox weekly:

Trending meetings
across the country:

Meeting Date
Filter by bodytypes
Agricultural Advisory Committee
Airport Advisory Board
Art and Culture Board
Beach Committee
Bike and Pedestrian Advisory Committee
Board of Elections
Board of Health
Borough Council
Building Committee
Cannabis Control Board
Cemetery Commission
Charter Revision Commission
Child and Family Services Board
City Council
City Identity Committee
Code Enforcement Board
College Board of Trustees
Community Appearance Board
Community Preservation Committee
Community Redevelopment Agency
County Council
Disability Advisory Committee
Economic Development Board
Elderly Affairs Board
Electric Advisory Board
Environmental Commission
Financial Oversight Board
Historic Preservation Commission
Housing Authority
Human Relations Committee
Human Resources Committee
Insurance Fund
Land Use Board
Library Board
Licensing Board
Mental Health Commission
Municipal Alliance
Open Space Commission
Oversight and Review Committee
Parent Advisory Board
Parking Authority
Parks and Gardens Commission
Parks Commission
Pension Board
Planning Board
Police Review Board
Port Authority
Property Assessment Board
Public Safety Committee
Recreation Commission
Redevelopment Agency
Rent Control Board
Rent Leveling Board
School Board
Sewerage Authority
Shade Tree Commission
Special Magistrate
Taxation & Revenue Advisory Committee
Tourism Board
Trails Committee
Transportation Board
Utility Board
Value Adjustment Board
Veterans Committee
Water Control Board
Women's Advisory Committee
Youth Advisory Committee
Zoning Board
Filter by County
FL
Bay County
Bradford County
Brevard County
Broward County
Clay County
Duval County
Escambia County
Gulf County
Hendry County
Highlands County
Hillsborough County
Indian River County
Lake County
Lee County
Leon County
Levy County
Liberty County
Manatee County
Marion County
Martin County
Miami-Dade County
Monroe County
Okaloosa County
Orange County
Osceola County
Palm Beach County
Pasco County
Pinellas County
Polk County
Putnam County
Santa Rosa County
Sarasota County
Seminole County
St. Johns County
Taylor County
Volusia County
Walton County
MA
Barnstable County
Berkshire County
Bristol County
Essex County
Franklin County
Hampden County
Hampshire County
Middlesex County
Norfolk County
Plymouth County
Suffolk County
Worcester County
MN
Anoka County
Becker County
Beltrami County
Benton County
Blue Earth County
Brown County
Carver County
Cass County
Chippewa County
Chisago County
Clay County
Cook County
Crow Wing County
Dakota County
Freeborn County
Goodhue County
Grant County
Hennepin County
Isanti County
Itasca County
Kanabec County
Kandiyohi County
Koochiching County
Lac Qui Parle County
Lyon County
Mcleod County
Morrison County
Mower County
Nicollet County
Olmsted County
Pipestone County
Polk County
Ramsey County
Rice County
Scott County
Sherburne County
Sibley County
St Louis County
Stearns County
Steele County
Waseca County
Washington County
Wright County
NJ
Atlantic County
Bergen County
Burlington County
Camden County
Cape May County
Cumberland County
Essex County
Gloucester County
Hudson County
Hunterdon County
Mercer County
Middlesex County
Monmouth County
Morris County
Ocean County
Passaic County
Somerset County
Sussex County
Union County
Warren County
NY
Bronx County
Kings County
New York County
Queens County
Richmond County
TN
Shelby County
Filter by sourcetypes
Minutes
Recording