Rochester Conservation Commission — September 1, 2026
The Rochester Conservation Commission met on September 1, 2026, chaired by Chris Gerrier. The commission handled several regulatory filings, including continuing a Notice of Intent for John Graham (DEP SE272-0671) to October 6th. The commission granted a negative determination of applicability to the MassDOT Rail and Transit Authority for vegetation clearing in a rail yard near mile marker 43.73 to support track rehabilitation. A certificate of compliance was also approved for Nelson Bernardo for a completed residential property at 28 Marion Road. Cody Wood presented a farm plan under Chapter 61A for the construction of a quarter-acre farm pond off North Avenue, which the commission approved with a negative determination under agricultural exemptions.
A significant portion of the meeting was devoted to managing invasive milfoil in Snipatuit Pond. The commission reviewed updates regarding regional pond management, the National Lake Assessment findings, and pond drawdown strategies based on Bear Hill Pond in Harvard, Massachusetts. Resident and attendee Ben presented a proposal to apply 2,4-D systemic herbicide using a heavy-lift agricultural drone (DJI Agras), offering his application services pro bono if the town funds the estimated $250,000 in herbicide materials through the anticipated MassReady Act grant. The commission agreed to solicit technical feedback from their environmental consultant and the Water Commission regarding 2,4-D and winter drawdowns.
Additional discussions addressed updates on outstanding enforcement orders at Robinson Road and for Mr. Jones, as well as the 30-day public comment window for revised state NHESP priority habitat maps. Before adjourning, member Bill Milka raised an ethics concern regarding fellow member Norm Bork allegedly calling a recent applicant a multi-millionaire, sparking a brief heated debate over bias against agricultural applicants before the meeting was brought to a close.
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