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Date: 11/9/2021
SOUTHWICK — The Conservation Commission visited 42 Depot St. last week, to acquaint new members with a proposal for a 100-unit residential development.
Rose Hanna and Kevin Solek, appointed to the commission on Sept. 27, joined the board midway through its deliberations on the condominium plan proposed by Right Hand Clyde Real Estate LLC. The Conservation Commission determines whether a construction project will adversely affect water bodies and wetlands.
Part of the proposed development falls near the 50-foot buffer zone of some nearby wetlands. The commission seems largely in favor of the project, though a chief concern for some commission members is that after the units are sold residents, may encroach upon the buffer to expand their back yards.
Ryan Nelson of R. Levesque Associates said during the Nov. 1 Conservation Commission meeting that no part of the development itself will cross the 50-foot buffer. Some of the work will be within the 100-foot buffer, though he said most of that work is in already existing fields, which will need little clearing.
During that meeting, Conservation Commission Chair David MacWilliams said that he might like to see that portion of the development moved about 10 feet further from the buffer, if possible. He said the smallest back yard in that row of condominiums would run about 16 feet between the condo and the buffer. MacWilliams and other commission members said that they were concerned that residents of condos with small back yards would try to expand them, possibly into the buffer zone.
Nelson said that may not be the case.
“These are condos. Some people may not even want a back yard,” said Nelson.
Commission member Jerry Patria suggested that the developer build a fence along the 50-foot limit to discourage any additional development. Nelson said that could be done.
After the Nov. 3 site visit, Solek said that he felt that there was “optimism that everybody can get where they need to be.” He said that he believes the wetlands near the project can be sufficiently protected.
“Nothing has been formally discussed, but based on the feedback on the meeting, everybody
Is where they need to be,” said Solek.
He could not say whether a fence would be the solution, but that he felt that the proposal was in a place where everybody can be comfortable with the result.
The Conservation Commission’s discussion of 42 Depot St. was continued to its next meeting Nov. 15. It is not clear whether a vote will take place on the proposal during that meeting.