Wayland Conservation Commission to challenge state ruling on Boston Post Road project

WAYLAND — February 28, 2024 — Wayland Conservation Commission will fight a state reversal on a wetlands denial. Conservation Administrator Linda Hansen told members Wednesday that the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection had dismissed nearly all 13 reasons the Commission cited in denying Cascade's 113-115 Boston Post Road project, agreeing only that the applicant's degraded riverfront analysis was deficient. Hansen said she will work with stormwater peer reviewer Gary James and consultant Marty Nover on a comment letter within the 70-day window. Chair Sean P. Fair called the ruling precedent-setting and warned developers would now have "an easy playbook" to bypass local review. The Commission separately approved, by 7-0 votes, a stormwater permit removing 20 trees at 59 Draper Road with a 17-shrub mitigation plan, a negative determination for 913 feet of Boston Gas main replacement on Dudley and Pine roads, and a certificate of compliance for three bridges at 265 Concord Road.