Residents and a property owner in the Valentine Street area came to the Dec. 1 hearing seeking permission to remove mature trees located near a drainage ditch and a vernal pool. The owner/applicant appears on the docket as Anne Harkins.

Staff and commission members raised concerns that the plan submitted with the request did not clearly show a wetland legend or field flags. Members said the commission needs an accurate, current delineation flagged in the field before approving tree removal that may affect bordering vegetated wetlands. Staff repeatedly advised hiring a certified wetland scientist to locate and flag the wetland boundaries and then submitting a plan that shows those flags.

The applicant and neighbors argued the trees slated for removal are adjacent to a drainage ditch and not in the wetland proper, and cited a recent land survey that changed property extents. Commission members noted hydrology and wetland boundaries can change over time and emphasized that older plans (the transcript references an earlier plan from 1983 and later delineations) are not sufficient to determine current field conditions.

To balance competing claims, the commission agreed to provide a determination of applicability at the hearing but emphasized the applicant must provide a professional wetland delineation and a proper plan showing flagged boundaries before the commission will approve any work that could alter the resource area or buffer. Members advised that if applicants intend to proceed with tree cutting they should submit a Notice of Intent with the flagged delineation or engage a wetland consultant to verify the plan.

Provenance: Discussion and public exchange at the RDA for 960 Valentine Street (start SEG 998; extended discussion through SEG 1670).