The Waterford development team ( Peter
D'Amato,developer: Dan Levine, and Rick Fink (consultants); and Atty
Nicholas Lazos made two other appearances before the Manchester
Conservation Commission (April 18 and May 2) and presented additional
information concerning their single family homes project.
At these meetings, they requested that the Conservation Commission sign off on their request for a "minimal impact expedited permit" for the project. This appeared to be a very curious request.
The DES Wetlands Bureau Web site includes a "Guidebook for Wetlands Permits" which describes the various kinds of wetlands permits and gives examples of projects for which the permits are appropriate. The examples given for a "Minimal Impact Expedited Permit" are the installation of a driveway culvert or the repair or maintenance of a dock. It is noted that projects which are more involved require a Standard Dredge and Fill application. Furthermore, it is noted that there are two types of standard permits - minor impact and major impact, and states that any project which proposes to impact a wetland that is an exemplary natural community, or has endangered or threatened species is classified as a major project, regardless of the amount of impact requested. This type of permit generally requires a period of several months to obtain.
The Manchester Conservation Commission accordingly did not approve the request for a minimal impact expedited permit. As noted previously, it appears that at least part of the Waterford development project is slated to be dangerously close to specialized swamps contiguous with the Hackett Hill Atlantic white cedar swamp, which is clearly an exemplary natural community. The MCC therefore informed the Waterford team that they must apply to the state wetlands board for a standard permit. Although Attorney Lazos claimed that the MCC was "stonewalling the Waterford project" and that the development team was entitled to "support" from the commissioners, the decision was unchanged.
The Waterford application was subsequently submitted to the state wetlands bureau and will be processed by this agency. The MCC must also send a letter to the wetlands bureau which will explain their decision and any recommendations they have about the project.
At both meetings, Pat Mattson spoke as a representative of the Merrimack Valley Sierra Club. She noted that a large beaver pond appears to be located near the Lot 17 single family homes development site, and that the Waterford development project might cause a disturbance of beaver activity, and subsequent migration of beavers to environmentally sensitive areas on or near the Hackett Hill property. She stressed that it is also inappropriate to have development so close to the beaver pond, since it funishes habitats for a variety of wildlife forms, and would be extremely useful for environmental education purposes. In addition, she noted that: (1) a large giant rhododendron swamp is extremely close to the planned Lot 17 development and: (2) giant rhododendron stands are located alongside Millstone Brook on the Hackett Hill property. The latter rhododendrons could conceivably be harmed by contamination from the Waterford project, since drainage from the another set of single family homes planned to be constructed north of Countryside Village and Waterford's planned apartment complex will empty into Millstone Brook.
Importantly, giant rhododendrons have recently received a definitive state-threatened status by the Natural Heritage Inventory. Although this species is found in many other states and countries, it is relatively rare in New Hampshire.
The date of Waterford's appearance at a public meeting of the Manchester Planning Board (for a presentation of their final single family homes site plans) was set for June 13.