At its February meeting, the Town of Northborough Conservation Commission said it would permit a volunteer cleanup of debris at 432 Whitney Street while leaving any decision on a formal trail placement for a later meeting.

The cleanup decision matters because the parcel borders wetlands, sits adjacent to a rail corridor and could link to the Aqueduct Trail and Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation property if a trail were later approved. Commissioners raised questions about wetland crossings, a 100-foot wetland buffer shown on maps and limits the town’s conservation policy would place on hunting if a trail is established.

Vincent Vignally, town conservation staff, presented a site map and described the proposed trail alignment and likely parking location near Whitney Street. He said the sketch keeps the trail “80 to a hundred feet away from the wetlands” and noted three small stream channels that would require limited crossings. Vignally also told the commission the town is pursuing a conservation restriction on most of the parcel and had discussed excluding a small front portion; he said DCR would pay about $200,000 for that conservation restriction on the remainder of the property.

Commissioners focused on two distinct actions: whether to approve cleanup work now, and whether to endorse a trail alignment. Several commissioners, including Dan Clark, emphasized that cleaning up the site should not be taken as approval for building a trail. “I would recommend that we make it clear in our approval that this is not related to the approval or denial of any future trail,” Clark said.

Members also discussed how a trail could affect other uses. Vignally explained the town’s guidance on hunting: “There’s a Northborough conservation area policy that prohibits hunting within 500 feet of a trail,” and he added that state law prohibits hunting within 500 feet of an occupied building; those limits would effectively rule out shotgun hunting on the parcel if a trail were established. Commissioners asked whether non-firearm hunting (for example bow hunting) would still be allowed; Vignally said he would investigate that question further.

Several commissioners said they supported a cleanup now, particularly to remove barbed wire, pallets and dumped yard waste that have blown into wetlands or been left on the parcel. Commissioners noted frozen ground makes early-season cleanup easier and that volunteers — including the trails committee and local civic groups — had expressed a willingness to remove debris. The commission stopped short of approving any trail pads, bridges or layout beyond endorsing the principle of cleanup; several members said they want the trails committee to mark a precise alignment in the field during spring before the commission would consider formal trail approval.

Commissioners also discussed connectivity: the commission heard that legal access across the railroad tracks is not available, so any formal connection to the Aqueduct Trail would require users to reach the Aqueduct Trail via Whitney Street. Some members said the parcel’s heavy wetlands and proximity to existing trails make the spur to DCR unclear until the trails committee confirms a field layout.

The commission noted the cleanup decision does not authorize construction work, permanent trail infrastructure, or any wetland crossings beyond minimal, low-impact measures that would later require review. Vignally offered to forward the commission’s message to the trails committee and to provide written clarification of hunting and conservation policies.

Looking ahead, the commission said it expects the trails committee to discuss the site at its upcoming meeting and to return to ConCom with a clearer in-the-field alignment; commissioners said they will consider any formal trail proposal at a future meeting after reviewing a field layout and additional details on wetland impacts and hunting regulations.