Wayland Conservation Commission adopts interim floodplain rules ahead of FEMA deadline

WAYLAND — June 18, 2025 — Wayland Conservation Commission adopts interim floodplain rules to beat FEMA's July 8 deadline. The commission voted 5-0 Wednesday to fold federal floodplain language drafted by FEMA representative Eric Carlson into Chapter 194, the town's wetlands bylaw, after the federal notice arrived too late for this year's Town Meeting warrant. Conservation Administrator Linda Hansen called it "an interim measure" and said a standalone floodplain bylaw will go to Town Meeting in 2026. The four-hour meeting also produced sharp friction over a single-family rebuild at 40 Loker Street, where applicant representative Jonathan Chase pleaded for movement and Hansen accused the team of "double dipping" mitigation plantings. Members kept the high school turf field enforcement file open, demanding an O&M plan after the district installed screens rather than a roughly $100,000 grit chamber. It was the final meeting for members Jen Perlman and Tom Davidson.