A Little Inadvertent Damage

Intermittent stream stabilization work performed on Friday at the proposed site of The Retreat

Landmark Properties will appear before the Amherst Conservation Commission on Wednesday to explain the minor damage that occurred near sensitive wetlands on the expansive property they are currently prepping for a major student housing development, The Retreat.

At the contentious May 29 Conservation Commission meeting, a room full of unfriendly neighbors took pot shots at the proposed development by way of environmental concerns.  They even questioned the work ethic of some of the environmental consultants hired by Landmark.

 ConCom hearing 5/29/14

So after the meeting, two of the experts who did the environmental investigation went back out to the site packing a GPS system to double check their previous field work.  They discovered recent damage that was not present on their original walk about last Fall.

Apparently a sub-contractor performing a geotechnical investigation got a little to close to a couple of streams with heavy duty drilling machinery.

 Logging roads wind their way through the extensive woodlands crossing streams

To their credit, Landmark Properties immediately "self reported" the unfortunate incident to wetlands administrator Beth Wilson.  She passed it along to the Conservation Commission, who then issued an "Enforcement Order" to come before them to explain how the incident occurred and plans for restoration of the damaged area, which Landmark Properties is anxious to share.

And yes, they have already enacted safeguards to ensure the problem does not reoccur.

Not exactly a "babbling brook," but an intermittent stream nevertheless