Jehovah's Witnesses proposal draws concerns in Clarksburg

http://www.thetranscript.com/headlines/ci_23557212/jehovah-rsquo-s-witnesses-proposal-draws-concerns

 

CLARKSBURG -- A proposal to build an approximately 4,000 square foot house of worship on farmland at the intersection of Cross and Middle Roads drew concerns from Conservation Commission members Wednesday night.

 

According to the notice of intent, the proposal from the North Adams Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses is for the construction of a 3,696-square-foot building (4,096 with a drive-through drop off). The project also includes construction of its own water supply, a driveway, parking, site grading and drainage.

Commission Chairman Clebe Scott raised his concerns over the effectiveness of the detention basin, designed to hold water running off the newly paved parking lot.

"I would like to know if there's enough detention for the impervious surface and the rest of the lot," he said. "I don't think [the detention basin] is adequate."

The engineering was carried out by Stanford, Vt.-based Trinity Engineering. Engineering Technician Gregory Vigna of Trinity was present at Wednesday's hearing.

Vigna said the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) had audited the project and had few comments, except for moving the construction of a well slightly.

The project is also under review by the National Heritage and Endangered Species Program (NHESP) of the Division of Fisheries and Wildlife, Vigna said

"We're expecting to have a response from them sometime next week," he said.

The project will be presented to the Planning

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Board at a public hearing with a date to be determined.

"The reason we need to go to the Planning Board is that some of the work is in the 100 year floodplain," Vigna told the commission. "The building itself is not."

Efforts to reach someone from the North Adams Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses were unsuccessful Thursday.

In other business, the commission permitted the management of invasive plants in Mauserts Pond using state-approved herbicides and algaecides, subject to review by NHESP.

Spencer-based Lycott Environmental, Inc. worked in conjunction with the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) to create a management plan for aquatic vegetation in the 49-acre pond. William Stevenson of Lycott Environmental said the pond has seen a growth of the invasive plant fanwart, along with the indigenous species watershield. The most effective treatment would be the herbicide sold under the trade-name Sonar, he said.