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Home > Departments > Conservation Commission
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| Contact Us | Municipal Building
59 Court St.
Westfield, MA 01085
(413)572-6281
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| Meetings | Meetings are held the second and fourth Tuesday of each month, except December, June, July and August. Schedules for those months are posted on the second floor bulletin board in City Hall once dates are selected.
Time: 7:00 P.M. during Standard Time Months.
Location: Room 306 Westfield City Hall. |
| This seven member commission is charged with administrating both the Mass Wetlands Protection Act (Chapter 131, Section 40 of the General Laws of the Commonwealth), the Mass Rivers Protection Act (Chapter 256 of the Acts of 1996) as well as the Westfield Wetlands Protection Ordinance (Ordinance #1109) These legislative acts regulate all land use in and around such wetland areas as ponds, lakes, rivers, streams, swamps, marshes, bogs and wet meadows as well as land within 100 horizontal feet of these areas. Since the determination of wetland areas is complex involving plants, soils and hydrological conditions, land owners are urged to file a Determination of Applicability Form with the Commission and secure the determination before beginning any work on land that is even suspected of being wetland areas. Some of these regulated areas do not have water on them at all times. |
| A positive determination or an obvious wetland area requires the filing of a Notice of Intent, a public hearing and the issuing of a Order of Conditions by the Commission. The Mass Department of Environmental Protection, the filer of the Notice of Intent or any citizen may appeal of the Order within 10 days of its issuance. Thus, any work that is not appealed within this time period is free to begin. Any work started before or during the appeal period is at the risk of the filer of the Notice of Intent. |
| Further roles of the Commission are to assist in the development and implementation of a five year open space plan for the city, to encourage the establishment of Agricultural Preservation Restrictions on suitable land. and to maintain and manage Westfield's Trail System with the help of the Westfield River Watershed Association, a local nonprofit organization. Volunteer help is critical to maintain both the trail and canoe access locations. |
| Additional information, necessary forms, filing requirements, etc. may be obtained by calling Michele at (413)572-6281 in the Westfield Conservaton Department on the third floor of City Hall. She is the Commission's part-time secretary. Her hours are 9:00 to 2:00 Tuesday - Thursday and 9:00 to 1:00 on Friday. If the secretary is unavailable, you may leave a message on our voice mail system at (413)572-6281. |
| Interested parties are urged to attend the Conservation Commission Meetings during which their comments and concerns are always welcomed and encouraged. |
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