SOUTHWICK – The Conservation Commission held a public hearing on Monday night for a proposed single-family home on Nicholson Hill Road.
The single-family home located at 11 Nicholson Hill Road is expected to be used as a group home but it’s unclear as to who will reside in the home.
During the public hearing, Ryan Nelson of R. Levesque Associates represented the project, as R. Levesque is consulting the project. The residence will be 30 ft. wide and 90 ft. long.
The Conservation Commission held a public hearing about a proposed single family home on Nicholson Hill Road. (Photo by Greg Fitzpatrick)
The Conservation Commission’s concern is where the wetlands are in proximity to the home. Nelson pointed out that there are wetlands bordering the residence, but if there is any wetlands or vegetation within 50 feet of the buffer zone, the Conservation Commission has jurisdiction on that.
Conservation Commission Chairman Christopher Pratt acknowledged that he’d like to do a site visit of the proposed property and check on the wetlands as well as the wetland flags to make sure the delineation of the flags was done accurately. The site visit is scheduled for Monday August 13.
Dick Listro, an abutter to the property on Nicholson Hill Road, was present and spoke on behalf of all the abutters that were in attendance for the hearing.
“We don’t think that for the environment, this is a good program,” said Listro.
Listro added that if a septic system is installed for the group home, abutters are concerned it would flow into the existing wetlands.
The environmental concerns also featured a strong belief from the abutters that endangered species are living near and around the property, specifically Eastern Box Turtle. Listening to the concerns of the abutters, Pratt hopes the site visit will be a benefit.
“That’s why we’re going out there,” said Pratt.
Philip Tuzzio is also an abutter and voiced his thoughts on a potential septic system for the group home, unsure if the septic would be a leach field or pump tank.
“We’re worried about the septic system and how it’s going to be designed,” said Tuzzio.
Although Pratt informed those in attendance that the Conservation Commission is only focused on the wetlands and the environment, residents are concerned about the look of the home that would be designed, according to the layout plans.
“It doesn’t look like a home,” said Listro. “It’s institutional.”
Conservation Commission suggested to the abutters that they have their other issues taken up with the Select Board.
The hearing was then closed and will continue at the next Conservation Commission meeting on August 20.
