Wayland Conservation Commission splits 3-2 on Veritas land-disturbance permit

WAYLAND — May 7, 2025 — Wayland Conservation Commission narrowly approves Veritas tree-clearing on 3-2 vote. The commission issued a Chapter 193 stormwater and land-disturbance permit for the project at 162-172 Cochituate Road, which will remove 286 trees and replace them with 97 caliper trees plus 64 bare-root restoration whips. Vice Chair Shannon Fischer called it "a terrible location for this project causing massive damage" and voted no along with member Barbara Howell, who told colleagues, "I think the water is going to end up on the neighbor." Members Jenny Brown, Luke Legere and Jennifer Perlman voted in favor after peer reviewer Dillis & Roy signed off on the stormwater report. The commission also ratified an enforcement order at 24 Whitewood Road, where Conservation Administrator Linda Hansen found roughly 40 cubic yards of fill placed in the wetland buffer zone.