Town to remediate steep driveway at 815 East Wakefield under blight program; lien to be recorded

Town public works staff reported to the commission that the steep driveway at 815 East Wakefield Boulevard has repeatedly washed onto the town road and that the homeowner lacks the resources to repair the condition. After review, town leaders decided the driveway condition meets the definition of blight, allowing the town to perform the work and place a blight lien on the property to recover costs.

Public works said crews will subcontract paving and drainage improvements to eliminate the washout and make the road safer; the town will pay the contractor and record a special lien on the property. Staff noted that the driveway is steep, difficult to stabilize, and that past town practice of returning scraped material to the property had ceased. The town expects the repair will improve public safety and reduce sediment reaching the roadway and nearby drainage.

Commissioners discussed how the driveway work may tie into additional drainage improvements in the area and noted that paving and related work should conform to town driveway regulations. Staff will assess whether the town needs a separate wetland or permit application for any work that encroaches on regulated areas.