WESTFIELD _ A Steiger Drive couple spoke during public participation at the Conservation Commission meeting Tuesday seeking a resolution to a problem affecting their property and that of 22 neighbors.
Allen and Jane Okscin say their land, and that of their neighbors, is identified as wetland on city maps and GIS system. The couple’s property is up on a bluff composed of sandy soil that drains quickly.
Allen said that he dumped a couple of thousand of gallons of water from the family pool and within an hour that water had infiltrated into the soil.
“When we first saw that designation, we thought it was a big joke because we live on top of a hill,” Jane said. “It’s not a big joke. I’ve spent months trying to change this.”
The couple have communicated with federal and state agencies and look at other agency’s maps and mapping systems.
“Throughout the whole state, the maps are accurate,” Jane said. “So only Westfield calls us a wetlands. No other agency in the state calls us that. We want everything cleared up.”
The couple told the commission that the error appeared on city’s mapping systems in 2008 and suspect the error was copied from earlier maps, some dating to the turn of the 20th century.
“You are the bosses,” Jane said. “The people who work for you put it there and tell us it can never be removed. I’m not happy. I want it (the wetland designation) removed. I’m fighting for all 22 of the homeowners.”
That designation limits some activities on the property without an environmental impact review, which can require a significant investment.
The commission questioned Conservation Coordinator Karen Leigh and City Engineer Mark Cressotti who both said that the information used by the city is taken directly from the Army Corps of Engineers and that the residents should be seeking action from that federal agency.
Commissioner Tom Sharp suggested that the board take the issue under advisement.
“We need a chance to absorb this and find out what happened,” Sharp said.
One of the residents of that area is Commissioner Jim Murphy who was not present Tuesday.
