Dover Conservation Commission Issues Well Permit, Defers Pine Street Case Over Stream Dispute

DOVER -- February 26, 2025, Dover Conservation Commission approves well permit for one property while stalling on another over a contested stream classification. The commission voted unanimously at its February 26 meeting to issue an order of conditions with seven special conditions for 105 Haven Street, approving waivers for work within the 50-foot no-disturbance and 70-foot no-structure setbacks after the applicant, represented by Christopher Ken of Metro West Engineering, submitted a complete application including more than 2,000 square feet of proposed lawn-to-naturalized-area mitigation. The hearing for 88 Pine Street was continued after conservation agent Janet challenged the applicant's characterization of a stream as intermittent, citing Massachusetts DEP guidance that any continuous line on current USGS maps is presumptively perennial, a finding that would trigger far stricter Riverfront Area regulations under 310 CMR 10.58. The commission also unanimously approved up to $1,000 for consultant Bill Gazanter to conduct a cost-benefit analysis of leafy spurge control and grassland management at the 24-acre Springdale Meadow Conservation Area, and set March 26 deadlines for both the 29 Saddle Ridge Road enforcement case and a long-overdue partial certificate of compliance from the Red Robin "Pastures" development.